Unbraked trailer, towing limitations

I didn’t mean for this thread to turn into such a long debate, although there are a number of useful responses, so thank you. All of this came from the fact that I was unaware of these very low thresholds and the seemingly conservative approach from the manufacturers. Most of my towing has been 2-3k lb boats and trailers using large full size suvs. In some cases, the cargo inside of the suv might have been another 800 lbs but with published tow ratings of 8400, and a bit of ignorance, I thought I was doing it right. I never had a situation that necessitated emergency braking so I don’t know what would have happened but in all my routine driving under these circumstances, I didn’t have any close calls or problems, and no reason to think I was posing a risk to myself or others. Clearly I was wrong, even after giving myself some wiggle room for manufacturer conservativeness.

Now, I feel fairly educated on the subject and trying to make good decisions, particularly since I am in the market for a new suv. All of this is entirely related to my safety and the safety of others affected by my actions, and the risk of legal consequences. It has nothing to do with warranties, damaging the vehicle, or getting pulled over for a weight inspection since my loads wouldn’t trigger any obvious concerns. We live in a litigious society and at this age I worry about that stuff more, in addition to general safety.