I'm also in the same boat as the OP. Another newbie, making another rookie error I think. I did a ton of research, reading all of Ford's Towing Guides and trying my best to do my due diligence. The right combination of tow weight rating, axle ratio, GCWR etc all pointed me to believe that when the right truck came along at the right price, I was set based on the parameters we had determined would suit our need on the 5er brands/lengths we were looking at.
Found a nice 2011 F250 6.7L Super Cab that ON PAPER was up to the task, given a (NADA guide) curb weight of 6195 lbs. Only AFTER I purchased the truck and got it on a CAT scale, lo and behold the truck comes in at almost 7300 lbs (no occupants, and half a tank of diesel --- maybe 125 lbs?). Somehow my truck had gained almost 1000 lbs of valuable cargo capacity. I know the diesel engine weighs much more than the gas, but I selected (and made SURE I had selected) the diesel version. WTH??????
So now we too are stuck with a 3/4 ton truck that we can only put about 2000 lbs of pin weight on before we hit our 10k GVWR for the truck. (Allowing 700 for me, the missus, the dogs, the toolbox and Reese hitch.) I guess we're off to trade in the 250 we've had for a month and go in search of a 1-tonner. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Mike W (Calhoun GA)