You need to do some research on tow ratings - and how they are REALLY figured out - the truck manufacturers are EXTREMELY loose with their specs.
For example - most 150/1500 class vehicles are advertised with say, 9600lb tow rating. FIrst, this assumes a SPECIFIC truck - which may not be YOUR truck - 4x4 usually reduces tow rating, as can some options (wheels/tires being a big one). It assumes you have the HD tow package as well. Most do not. My 01 ford had 4x4 and optional 17" tires - each reduced the tow rating 500 lbs - so I lost 1000lbs right there.
Second, they figure this on a base/stripped truck - the GCWR is say, 14,400 - so the TOTAL of truck and trailer, cargo, passengers, fuel rolling down the road. So you need to weight the truck - my 1500 came in at 5700 lbs. So the REAL towing capacity was 8700 lbs. BUT - they figure it with 150lb driver, 1/2 tank gas...add in a 250lb me, full tank and it's gonne be more like 8500. That doesn't include the hitch- a WD hitch can run another 75 lbs. If you added things (bedliner, tonneau cover, running boards, etc) consider that weight.
Now consider the tounge weight - 150/1500 trucks are almost all 7000lb GVWR (in PA if you're over that your license place annual fee doubles!) SO my 5700 lb truck (on a cat scale) plus me, wife, kids, dog (about 600lb) put the weight at 6300 lbs...leaving only 700 for tongue weight...on a 7000lb camper the tongue weight should be 700-1050 (10-15%). I was running at the limit.
And I could FEEL i was at the limit. Emergency maneuvers would be a concern...so I had to drive VERY defensively.
As to 5th wheel/gooseneck, 20% of the weight should be on the truck...check your tire/axle ratings. 150/1500's come with 4 ply P rated tires - they ride nice but load capacity leaves a lot to be desired. Over loaded tires get hot and blow out. All too easily.
I now have an F350..WOW, the difference. I've not had it on a scale, but estimates put it just over 6k. It's a gas base truck, so no dual cab or heavy options. GVWR is 10,500 - I've got TWO TONS of load capacity - vs 1300lb in a 1500 (2013 silverado). And E rated 10 ply tires - and a ride that, unloaded, is uncomfortably stiff.
BUT I also got HUGE brakes, axles, tires, lug nuts, thicker frame, heavier springs - there is NO comparison when it comes to towing with this beast vs the 1500 and ford expedition I had before.
***** concerns should be *****
wearing out your truck
breaking things on your truck
ANY emergency - swerve, stop, etc - your safety
And what should be first, i'm putting last - the safety of everyone else on the road. Should you have an issues and an accident YOU will be liable to the extreme if you are overloaded. Read the fine print in your car insurance - most exempt coverage for illegal activities...overloaded is illegal, so you may be denied your claim.
It's a tough situation - for the rare moves just hire it done. CUrrenly we need sawdust for the horses - light but bulky. Renting a dump truck (I have a cdl) is $400/day...dump trailers are cheaper and I can even borrow one, but without 4' tallsides it's multiple trips - at 10mpg and 40 mile round trip, and my time, that adds up. I can hire a triaxle to do the whole thing - $100. Duh, it's a no brainer.
I've got an F150 and am considering getting a 14K dump trailer. The F150 is rated, the way mine's configured, for a bit less than that (12-13K, IIRC), so I'd keep it under full to stay in range, but then, start doing a little more digging and realize that's only with a weight distributing hitch. Now, I haven't used a WDH in many years; but wow, they were a total PITA the last time I used one. Nightmare getting hooked up, dropped out of alignment at times, just bad. So, unless things have changed (if so, please educate me), I'm not too keen on fitting a WDH.
So, my other option is to get a gooseneck dump trailer and put the goose in the bed. I like towing a goose, and it's easy to hitch up (which is important for me, this trailer won't be an all day thing, I'll hook up, get something, drop it, and then perhaps hook up later and go get something else the same day, not running it "always connected" like some people do).
And, of course, there's the really expensive way to do this, get a F250/350 with a goose and call it done.
Overkill for me, for sure, I probably haul about 5% of the time I'm in my truck, but that'll be the end of worrying about weights and capacity. Might as well go all out and get a 8 wheel dump trailer, that'll take me over 100K for the combo to move around some rock.
You know, reading the manual, it seems to say that any trailer over 5K on a F150 needs a WDH. What the heck is that?? I've never seen a WDH on a F150 in my life that's not a long distance car hauler setup. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen a dump trailer hooked up using a WDH. Is this just corporate CYA? Or do I need to really be concerned here? My truck has the max tow setup, brake controller etc, I tow my 7K landscape trailer (which, apparently, I'm doing wrong!) all the time with it.
