Truck fit guide / Half-ton truck
Truck Bed Camper for Chevy Silverado 1500
The Silverado 1500 fits both the Kimbo 6 and the Kimbo 8 with healthy payload margin across most trims.
Recommended Kimbo
Kimbo 6
From $27,990
Compatible generations
K2, T1
2014–2018, 2019+
Payload range
1,700–2,280 lb
Door-jamb sticker is the truth.
Tailgate rule
Both bed lengths fit
Bed length determines tailgate behavior.
How it fits
Why a Kimbo works on a Chevy Silverado 1500.
The Silverado 1500 is the GMC Sierra 1500's mechanical twin — same frame, same suspension, same bed dimensions. For Kimbo fit purposes they're indistinguishable. Both the 2014–2018 K2 generation and the 2019+ T1 generation fit either Kimbo platform cleanly, with T1 carrying slightly stronger payload across the lineup.
Trim selection matters more on the Silverado than on most half-tons. **LT, RST, and Trail Boss** trims sit in the meat of the payload range (1,800–2,280 lb) — comfortable margin for a Kimbo 6 install and adequate for a Kimbo 8. **Custom Trail Boss and ZR2** sit taller on lifted suspension; ZR2's payload is meaningfully reduced (~1,400 lb), which puts it at the edge of K8 fit and tight for K6 without margin to spare. **High Country** is fine but the luxury options (sunroof, large wheels) eat into payload.
The 6.5' Standard Bed is the most common Silverado 1500 configuration and supports both Kimbo 6 (tailgate closes) and Kimbo 8 (meets the 6.5' minimum). The 5.75' Short Bed works for Kimbo 6 only (tailgate stays down). The 8' Long Bed is the premium platform for either Kimbo — most margin, cleanest install.
By generation
Year-by-year fit notes.
Truck-camper fit isn't one-size-fits-all across model years — frame, cab clearance, and suspension change between generations. Here's where each Chevy Silverado 1500 sits.
2014–2018
Chevy Silverado 1500 K2 (2014–2018)
2019+
Chevy Silverado 1500 T1 (2019+)
Specialty trims
Chevy Silverado 1500 trim variants we cover.
Trim-specific fit guidance for Chevy Silverado 1500 variants where the trim has real engineering implications — factory lift, wider track, lower payload, or limited bed configurations.
ZR2
Chevy Silverado 1500 ZR2
Multimatic DSSV spool-valve dampers — Formula-1-derived hardware, exceptional control under load.
See the trim fit →
Trail Boss
Chevy Silverado 1500 Trail Boss
Factory 2″ front lift, off-road tires, Rancho monotube shocks. Lift is about half the cost premium of the ZR2.
See the trim fit →
The math
Your payload margin, calculated.
Real numbers for a fully-provisioned Kimbo install on a Chevy Silverado 1500 at the middle of its payload range. Substitute your own door-jamb sticker for a precise calculation.
Calculating for
- Chevy Silverado 1500 payload (mid-range)+ 1,990 lb
- Kimbo 6 (base)− 830 lb
- Fresh water (4 gal)− 32 lb
- Propane (20 lb tank)− 30 lb
- Gear load− 100 lb
- 1 occupant in cab (200 lb)− 200 lb
Remaining margin
+798 lb
Calculated using the midpoint of the Chevy Silverado 1500's published payload range. Your specific truck's door-jamb sticker is what counts. Trim packages, options (sunroofs, larger wheels), and tow packages can swing this number by 200–500 lb in either direction.
The Kimbo team's pick
If we were buying a Chevy Silverado 1500…
If we were buying a Silverado 1500 for a Kimbo, we'd get a T1 LT or RST Crew Cab with the 6.5' Standard Bed, the Z71 off-road package, and the Max Trailering Package (which adds payload on most trims). Avoid ZR2 unless you specifically want its off-road dynamics. High Country fits but its options package is the wrong direction for camper buyers.
Recommended platform
From $27,990
Kimbo 6
The nimble original. Built for midsize and half-ton trucks.
- — 830 lb dry
- — R5 insulation, four-season ready
- — Full-size memory foam bed
- — Hand-riveted aluminum monocoque shell
Chevy Silverado 1500 questions
Chevy Silverado 1500-specific questions, answered.
Cross-shopping?
How Kimbo compares to the rest of the Chevy Silverado 1500 camper market.
We've put together an honest comparison of Kimbo against the campers you're most likely cross-shopping — Four Wheel Campers, Scout, Go Fast Campers, Lance, and the rest. Real prices, real weights, and explicit recommendations for when something else is the right answer.
Talk through your Chevy Silverado 1500.
Door-jamb sticker, intended use, modifications you're considering — bring it all by. We'll tell you honestly whether the rig will work the way you want it to.