Truck fit guide / Half-ton truck
Truck Bed Camper for Ford F-150
The F-150 has the widest payload range of any half-ton — from 1,700 lb base trims to 3,325 lb on HD Payload Package. Both Kimbos fit cleanly.
Recommended Kimbo
Kimbo 6
From $27,990
Compatible generations
12th, 13th, 14th
2009–2014, 2015–2020, 2021+
Payload range
1,700–3,325 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 Ford F-150.
The F-150 is the most-shopped half-ton truck in America, and the variance in payload across trims is genuinely wide — 1,700 lb on a base XLT, all the way to 3,325 lb with the Heavy Duty Payload Package. That spread matters for Kimbo buyers because it changes the install math significantly. On a base F-150, a Kimbo 6 install is comfortable but not generous. On an HD Payload F-150, you've got 1,500+ lb of margin even after the Kimbo 8 is mounted, water tank is full, and the family is in the cab.
For most F-150 owners, the Kimbo 6 is the easier daily-driver setup — it keeps the truck feeling like an F-150, not a heavy-duty hauler. The Kimbo 8 makes more sense on F-150s ordered specifically for extended travel (HD Payload trim, 6.5'–8' bed, dedicated camping rig). The 14th Gen (2021+) is the strongest F-150 platform for either Kimbo: refreshed frame, stronger payload across most trims, and a meaningfully better rear suspension under load than the 13th Gen.
Two trims to know about. **Raptor** sits taller, runs the off-road Fox shocks, and has lower payload than the standard F-150 (~1,400 lb) — it fits a Kimbo 6 but the rig will feel softer and you're paying a $25K+ premium for off-road dynamics that don't translate to camper performance. **Lightning** (the EV F-150) is a different vehicle entirely — different bed-rail tie-down points, different suspension geometry, different payload profile. We don't currently support Lightning for Kimbo installs.
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 Ford F-150 sits.
2009–2014
Ford F-150 12th Gen (2009–2014)
2015–2020
Ford F-150 13th Gen (2015–2020)
Aluminum body — rivet placement on tie-down brackets reviewed at install.
2021+
Ford F-150 14th Gen (2021+)
Specialty trims
Ford F-150 trim variants we cover.
Trim-specific fit guidance for Ford F-150 variants where the trim has real engineering implications — factory lift, wider track, lower payload, or limited bed configurations.
The math
Your payload margin, calculated.
Real numbers for a fully-provisioned Kimbo install on a Ford F-150 at the middle of its payload range. Substitute your own door-jamb sticker for a precise calculation.
Calculating for
- Ford F-150 payload (mid-range)+ 2,513 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
+1,321 lb
Calculated using the midpoint of the Ford F-150'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 Ford F-150…
If we were buying an F-150 for a Kimbo, we'd get a 14th Gen XLT or Lariat SuperCrew with the 6.5' bed, the Heavy Duty Payload Package (factory option box 18B), and the FX4 off-road package. That's the F-150 with the strongest Kimbo install case — strong payload across both Kimbo platforms, the bed length supports K8, and the FX4 is the right level of off-road capability without paying for Raptor's overkill.
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
Ford F-150 questions
Ford F-150-specific questions, answered.
Cross-shopping?
How Kimbo compares to the rest of the Ford F-150 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 Ford F-150.
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.