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Your main issue is going to be with the Pin Wt. not overloading your tow vehicle.  Remember that the overall weight of the tow vehicle should not exceed the manufacturers Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) for safe trailering.  According to a 2006 Ford chart I found the Curb Wt. on your rig is about 6400 lbs.  Add your weight, the wife's weight, any other passengers weight, full tank of fuel, the weight of extra stuff (tools, firewood, etc) in the bed of the truck, the weight of the Hitch assembly and you get you "Vehicle Camping Weight".  Subtract the "Vehicle Camping Weight" from the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) and you will get "Available Payload Wt."

I estimated your rig with 2 people, full tank of gas, and about 250 lbs of "hitch and stuff" in the bed of the truck to be 7157 lbs.
10,000 - 7157 = 2,843 lbs.

If you use the 20% pin wt formula take the 2,843 of "Available Payload" and divide it by .2 (20%) = 14,216.5 lbs.

I think, 14,216.5 lbs would be the absolute maximum weight of a fully loaded, ready to camp 5th wheel I would want to tow. IMO

Here's where I got the Ford info from: 2006 Ford Data

You might want to check out the RVIA site for manufacturers: Recreation Vehicle Industry Association

Godd luck and happy camping!
 
Nelson makes a good point about the trailer axles - in many lower end brands the sum of the axle capacities will be 1000-2000 lb less than the trailer GVWR.  They rely on the truck to carry the balance as pin weight. That's a mediocre design, because it shorts you on both spring capacity and braking (the trailer brakes come with the axle are designed to stop the rated axle weight). Heavier duty axles give you better brakes and some safety margin on the springs and axle itself.  Bent or broken springs and bent axles can be avoided.

You can usually order a heavier axle on a trailer and some manufacturers offer an optional suspension upgrade to the Mor/Ryde rubber shear suspension. I'd take that if available.
 
Hello again, everyone...once again I'm here to pick your brains...

The wife and I are looking at a Coachmen Adrenaline 314FS TT.  My concerns are starting to get the better of me and now I'm thinking that I'm in a little over my head.  Here are the particulars:

My truck has a conventional towing capacity of 12,500 pounds; subtracting the 10% safety factor would be 11,250.  The GVWR on this trailer is 14,000 lbs (I think that's what I read on the DOT sticker); empty weight is 10,900.  Axle weights stated on trailer are 6,000 lbs per axle (3).  Am I right to say I think this trailer is too big for my truck?

I would like to think that my concerns are real and to keep looking for something a little bit smaller or maybe go to a fifth wheel?
 
dagnabit9 said:
Hello again, everyone...once again I'm here to pick your brains...

The wife and I are looking at a Coachmen Adrenaline 314FS TT.  My concerns are starting to get the better of me and now I'm thinking that I'm in a little over my head.  Here are the particulars:

My truck has a conventional towing capacity of 12,500 pounds; subtracting the 10% safety factor would be 11,250.  The GVWR on this trailer is 14,000 lbs (I think that's what I read on the DOT sticker); empty weight is 10,900.  Axle weights stated on trailer are 6,000 lbs per axle (3).  Am I right to say I think this trailer is too big for my truck?

I would like to think that my concerns are real and to keep looking for something a little bit smaller or maybe go to a fifth wheel?
Click to expand...

Yep way too big for your truck.  Best to look for a trailer that fits your existing truck or buy a new truck too. 
 
Just remember one thing... If you ask the salesman he'd tell you a Chevy Love can tow it (Sure it can)

As Ron said.. I'd get a bigger truck.. On another forum there is a man who has a nice sig file which says "There is no replacement for displacement" and a photo of his Peterbuilt tow vehicle
 
If you want to stay with a Travel Trailer, take a look at the Crossroads Sunset Trails, the Forest River Flagstaff and Rockwood's and the Jayco Jay Feather LGT's.  They all have a GVWR less than 8,000 lbs.

Just remember that the 12,500 towing capacity is based on your vehicle with fuel and you.  Anything additional weight you add to the vehicle like passengers, tools or supplies will reduce the towing capacity.  You vehicle should also have a Gross Combined Weight Rating (GCWR).  The GCWR is the combined weight of the tow vehicle and the trailer.  For the sake of safety, don't exceed the GCWR.
 
The thing is -

I want an enclosed garage area in the trailer - whether it is a TT or a 5er; I am not seeing many of them.  I think (maybe it's just me) it's dangerous to sleep in the same room with your 'toys' when they're all gassed up or however you want to say it.  It also keeps the smells out of the living area.

And another thing - who in the heck do they think are going to tow some of these monsters?  I mean, I'm seeing 17-18,000lb GVWRs and I don't think anything from Ford in the F250/350 line is going to be able to tow those.  You'd probably have to go to the 450/550 line <sheesh!>.

Saw a Keystone Raptor Model 299 I think might do the trick, but it's a fifth wheel and I'm only allowing about 7% in the safety factor.
 
And another thing - who in the heck do they think are going to tow some of these monsters?  I mean, I'm seeing 17-18,000lb GVWRs and I don't think anything from Ford in the F250/350 line is going to be able to tow those.  You'd probably have to go to the 450/550 line <sheesh!>.
Click to expand...

450s and medium duty Peterbuilts or Volvos.  All the biggest fivers have that problem.
 
I've heard that a lot of toy haulers can have a balance problem expecially if all that weight is behind the rear axle. Don't know firsthand though.
 
Pierat said:
I've heard that a lot of toy haulers can have a balance problem expecially if all that weight is behind the rear axle. Don't know firsthand though.
Click to expand...

Looking at the specs on a number of toy hauling 5ers, I notice that the specified hitch weight is quite high.  This may be intended to compensate cargo weight being loaded behind the axles.   However, I do not have any idea if that is indeed a standard practice in the category.   In any case, I would want to know the weight and balance characterists of any loading I did with a toy hauling 5ers.  Those toys can weigh up and a tail heavy trailer is an unstable trailer.   As far as stability is concerned, hitch weight is our friend.   :)
 
If you have not purchased one yet, I have a brand new 2007 Raptor 299MP (14,400lbs fully loaded) for sale.  It has 100 miles on it.  Illnes is forcing the sale.  I can save you around $10,000.
 
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