How rigid is payload number

As others have said. Your family, your decision.

That payload number is the maximum you may add to an unloaded truck before you exceed GVWR.
This number is the weight at which your manufacturer has certified to the Feds that your truck will meet all Safety and Emission standards.
Payload is a more critical number than Tow weight. You are over. Once loaded up you will be WAY overloaded.
That removes any liability your Manufacturer may have for a failure due to weight, including a run-away brake fade situation.
And you haven't yet factored in the 100# or so weight of the WD hitch.
So you are likely to be 500-600# overloaded. I don't support ANY overloading but that exceeds even my personal comfort level of a couple of hundred pounds.
Don't do it!
If in an accident you COULD be found liable (even if it was not your fault) and, if your truck is still under warranty, the drivetrain/suspension/brakes part of that could be voided by a dealer, especially if you have to be towed in from the side of the road!

Now YOU decide how important that payload number really is!

TheGreatWaz00 wrote:
OK the Mrs and I have chosen a TT, Rockwood 8311SS. It is within my tow limit, the question I have is the payload number. How critical is it to be below your payload number?

I have a Ram 1500, with a payload rating of 1266. I have 800# of passenger and gasoline. The Hitch weight is 746 for the TT so I would have a payload of 1546 - basically 300# over the rated 1266 number.

??

To me, over is over and I'm not comfortable with my family on the road in an overloaded vehicle. Is the 746# actual tongue weight or empty advertised weight? That weight could increase substantially when the TT is loaded for camping.