[MarkEHansen]

Keep in mind that those limits are just that - limits. How close you want to get to them (or go over) is a matter of personal risk management. Some will argue you want to have a safety margin in there. Some will say that safety margin is built into the limits already.

I don't have a trailer large enough to push the limits of my truck, so I can't really imagine the decisions you're having to make now. When I was young, I took lots of risk. As I get older, not so much. That's not to say risk is bad, it's just a personal decision.

You're doing the right thing by asking questions and thinking these things through now, before you buy. Good on you.