When Ford and Chevy are testing max payload for towing, they're using a flatbed trailer with a low-profile set of weights for cargo. As a result, I've seen good advice here that suggests not going past 80% of rated capacity of you're towing a Travel Trailer.
As others have said, your in-truck cargo (passengers and more) plus hitch and tongue weight are almost guaranteed to exceet the Payload Rating for most 1/2 ton trucks.
I'm not that close with my Expedition EL (a Ford F150 dressed as an SUV), and my TT was weighed at just over 6,100 in our first year. So I've likely added 200 lbs of gear since then.
I've done a lot to get it to tow comfortably, as we'd have the Ford anti-sway logic kick in and scare the daylights out of us at times. I even invested in LT tires to tighten things up. All that said, I can guarantee you my next tow vehicle will be a 3/4 ton
