Free tool
Truck Camper Payload Calculator
Pick your truck and your camper — see how much payload you have left, instantly. Works with any truck camper, using independent loaded weights. Enter your door-jamb sticker number for an exact result.
Estimated ~1,393 lb. For an exact result, enter the payload from your door-jamb sticker.
Off-road trims (TRD Pro, Trailhunter) carry less payload — use your door-jamb number for those.
Lance 650 ~2,170 lb at this load (empty 1,694 → full 2,485 lb)
340 lb riding in the cab
Lance 650 on the Toyota Tacoma
Over payload by 1,117 lb
- Truck payload
- 1,393 lb
- Lance 650
- − 2,170 lb
- People + cab cargo
- − 340 lb
- Remaining
- −1,117 lb
Aim to keep at least ~200 lb of buffer. Travelling lighter (less water and gear) or a higher-payload truck adds margin.
An estimate, not a guarantee. Your truck's yellow door-jamb sticker is your cargo budget for an exact-truck result; the structural number that actually binds a slide-in install is your rear axle rating (GAWR), a separate figure on the federal certification label. We recommend staying within door-jamb payload as the install standard.
How it works
Payload is the number that decides it.
The calculator subtracts your camper's weight — at the gear-and-water load you choose, from empty to fully loaded — plus the people and gear riding in your cab, from your truck's payload, then shows the margin you have left. Aim to keep ~200 lb of buffer or more.
Loaded weights for the listed campers come from Truck Camper Magazine's independent Buyers Guide — a standardized wet weight, not a manufacturer brochure figure. Pick “Other” to enter any camper's loaded weight from its own weight label.
Manufacturer brochure payload numbers are the upper bound. Your specific truck's yellow door-jamb sticker is the cargo budget for your exact truck; enter it above for an exact result. The structural number that actually binds a slide-in install is your rear axle rating (GAWR), a separate figure on the federal certification label on the same door jamb — check both. We recommend staying within door-jamb payload as the Kimbo install standard for insurance and warranty compliance.
Frequently asked
Payload, answered.
How do I find my truck's payload capacity?
Open the driver's door and read the yellow Tire and Loading Information sticker on the door jamb — that figure already accounts for your exact cab, bed, engine, and factory options. It is the cargo budget for your specific truck, and the number we recommend staying within as a Kimbo install standard. Look at the same door jamb for a second figure — the rear axle rating (GAWR) on the federal certification label — because a slide-in camper concentrates load over the rear axle in a way the cargo-budget formula does not model. Both numbers matter; the calculator uses door-jamb payload as the budget, and the next answer covers when rear GAWR also comes into play.
Is the door-jamb payload the same as my rear axle rating?
No. The yellow door-jamb payload is your cargo budget — GVWR minus your truck's curb weight as equipped. The structural limit at the back of the truck is your rear axle rating (GAWR), a separate number on the federal certification label on the same door jamb. The cargo-budget formula assumes weight is distributed across the bed, which is how most pickup cargo loads; a slide-in camper concentrates 800–1,800 lb directly over the rear axle. That means rear GAWR — not just door-jamb payload — is the structural number that actually binds the install. Most trucks have meaningful rear-axle headroom beyond what the cargo-budget math suggests, but we recommend staying within door-jamb payload as the install standard because exceeding GVWR has insurance and warranty implications regardless of structural margin.
What is a safe payload margin for a truck camper?
After subtracting the loaded camper and your cab passengers from your door-jamb payload, aim to leave at least ~200 lb of buffer; 500 lb is ideal. A negative margin means you would be over door-jamb payload — which is the legal-compliance ceiling, not the structural ceiling. Rear airbags and load-rated tires help the ride and the suspension behavior near the top of the range, but they do not raise the manufacturer's payload, GVWR, or axle ratings.
Should I use a camper's dry weight or wet weight?
Use the loaded (wet) weight. Manufacturer brochure dry weights leave out water, propane, batteries, options, and gear, so they understate what you actually carry. The listed campers in this tool use Truck Camper Magazine's independent standardized wet weight; pick 'Other' to enter your camper's loaded weight from its own weight label.
How is a Kimbo's weight described — dry, with modules, or fully loaded?
Kimbo uses a three-point range so the number you read matches the state it represents. The Kimbo 6 is 830 lb base dry weight (empty shell from the factory, no modules), about 1,000 lb dry weight with modules (modules installed, no water/propane/gear), and ~1,200 lb fully loaded (modules + 30 gal water + propane + jacks + ~150 lb personal gear). The Kimbo 8 is 1,125 lb base dry, ~1,400 lb dry with modules, ~1,660 lb fully loaded. 'Modules' means Kimbo's customer-selected interior components (Dickinson heater, Bluetti power, Dometic fridge, etc.) — analog of the industry term 'dry weight with options.' The calculator interpolates between base dry and fully loaded based on the load preset you pick.
Do airbags raise my truck's payload?
No. Rear air helper springs (airbags) level the truck, settle the rear squat, and steady the ride when you are near the top of your range — they are a common, worthwhile upgrade on a heavier build. But they do not raise your truck's payload, GVWR, or axle ratings, which are set by the manufacturer. Use airbags and load-rated tires to ride better within your numbers, not to exceed them.
Is the calculator result a guarantee?
No — it is an honest estimate from published payload ranges and independent camper weights, not a substitute for your truck's door-jamb sticker. Always verify your door-jamb payload AND rear axle rating, account for your own gear and options, and weigh your loaded rig at a certified CAT scale before you travel.