Read through this thread a couple times, and Im still confused. What I think you're wanting to do and asking is
your van is rated for 10k, but you want to install an 11k rated hitch. No problem, and that's not illegal. You can install a 20k hitch if they make it, and you buy it.
Your van is rated for 10K, your hitch is rated for 11K, and you want to know if
a) you can tow 11k safely and b) is it legal.
a) Safely: That is tough to answer, and some folks use the various numbers to justify their decision. For instance, GCWR is only one consideration. To think that as long as you stay within the GCWR you are okay is not necessarily true. You can be well within your GCWR, but exceed the payload capacity of your tow vehicle. Also, there are some who say that some vehicles payload capacity is artificially set because said vehicle is a 3/4 ton pickup, and by definition, their max vehicle weight (GVWR) is 10K no matter what. That may or may not be true. Some folks (like myself) try to stay under all the established weights. I tend to want to err on the side of caution. Many factors, not just axle weights, and suspension, go into the GVWR. Brakes, stopping power, axle ratio etc, all impact that.
b) Legal: I have not found a state yet that I have to pull my truck/trailer combo into a weigh station and be weighed. So, there's no DOT entity watching over private owners to see if they are overweight. Having said that, in today's society, it would not surprise me in the slightest, if a lawyer would try to use weight (or exceeding capacities) as a cause or a contributor to an accident. I can't point to any specific cases where it's come up, but we all remember the McDonalds coffee case. Whether or not the plaintiff actually collects is almost secondary. The wringer that you COULD go through is enough to want me to stick at or below all my weight numbers.
Junket - if I were you, I'd replace the ball on your hitch to exceed 12K. My hitch and bars (Blue Ox Sway Pro) are rated at 15K, but I bought a 24K rated ball because it was available, at a good price. No way I would want the ball to be rated less than the hitch.
Mike
