Kimbo Camper BS and Mods

4. Depends really - the way I built my kitchen, it made sense to put it on the other side of the strut and a little higher so we could plug in the kitchen gear when we have shore power. It was low on the strut between the cushion on the bench and a basket we mounted and it was very tough to access, so it was kind of our fault it was buried - it may be just fine right where it is if you don't build a bench in front of it and stick a basket over it LOL.

I did not measure the height of the stock bed (the top side of the flatbed sits at around 38"), we prioritized a low height to limit raising the center of gravity. I've seen some flatbeds that seem to lift the bed height significantly - enough to add a large drawer. We were able to fit the porch under the bed. I'm not sure if that's because it's raised or because the bottom of the bed is flat and thinner than stock. It would be interesting to hear what other stock bed heights sit at.

 

38" from what?

height from top of cab to floor of stock bed is ~37/38"

 

Ground to top of bed platform...

 

Hi everyone, hope you don't mind a Ford guy in your territory.... I've been lurking on this thread since the beginning of the year when I picked mine, I'm running a very unconventional setup, and it works great. I'm in CO, would be great to meet other Kimbo owners in the area or meet up at a mountain spot.
Mine is a base model with several mods sitting on a heavily modified Jumping Jack trailer ( I sold the tent ).

 

This is Kimbo territory we don't discriminate (although we may snicker a bit) LOL.

Wow, that is some setup - you're going to get quite a few questions for sure!

I'll start: Looks like you have a basement drawer setup with a floor on top that the Kimbo sits on - how/what do you tie the kimbo to?

 

Hi, thank you very much for the reply and welcome! it's been a lot of work ( should have just bought an airstream ha! ) . .

for the trailer, I lifted the frame 2", and the hubs are on adapters to accept the stock F350 wheels, the camper sits on 3/4" that has a horse mat lined top and aluminum edging, otherwise just weld on provisions for dual jacks, and the D rings that the camper straps into. In the pic I do use an L channel at the back to keep it from sliding backwards ( had that problem when I first started no matter how tight the straps were up front ). the interior deck has a box cab version of the bedslide that has two drawers.


for the camper, here is a quick list

$70 Universal Awning roof Mount Bracket

Roof Mount Bracket
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N0W6D5B?ie=UTF8&th=1

Awning

$530 OVS Nomadic 180 Awning - Dark Gray with Black Travel Cover - Universal

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07X228PTH?ie=UTF8

Mounting Hardware
https://www.bedslide.com/i-30497615-bedslide-riv-nut-kit-4-riv-nuts-and-tool.html

Molle Panel
https://builtrightind.com/products/...MInePqnqz9iAMVlFiRBR3CMwVXEAQYASABEgLWp_D_BwE

 

Installed some 1/2" pine shelving on the passenger side by the stove. It added a lot of storage space.

 

Could the people with a 5' truck bed show what they're using to get in & out the Kimbo?

I saw former posts with scissor steps but it was on a 6' bed.

I'm currently using a 3-step ladder but I've almost eaten shit each time I've gone camping

*another edit
what are you all doing with your trash? i'm currently using a 5gal bucket with a lid but I'd like to keep the odor outside. Have any of you mounted a trasharoo somehow?

 

Made some progress on the AC power for the Kimbo finally. Fits nicely around the fridge/freezer. Shore power connections are next and then an outlet in the kitchen. Should be ready for snow camping!!

 

Looks legit. Do you have IG or a YT page?

 

LOL - no time for that, I got sheeeeuuut to do!

 

Has anyone found a toneau cover that can stay on the truck with the kimbo? I often have a lot of expensive gear with me so I’m trying to use it to cover the bed when I drop the camper during extended trips. A hard cover would be ideal but idk if any fold tightly enough against the rear window to work.

 

Hey there folks,

Happy Holidays!!

I am super excited to officially be a member of Kimbo Nation as the proud owner of Kimbo Camper #524!!

I placed my order for the camper way back at the end of July (before the August price increase). When I placed my order I specifically requested a delayed build for pickup around May 15, 2025. Now I am just playing the waiting game until springtime when I can drive from Vermont to Washington to pickup the camper.

After dreaming of owning a Kimbo for many years, I decided to treat myself with the build. After weeks of deliberation on which modules to choose/not choose in relation to how I will use the camper, I basically ordered a mostly fully loaded Kimbo and checked most boxes on the order sheet. Overall, I think this camper will be perfect for me and will provide many years of enjoyment.

During this waiting period, I have been diligently researching all aspects of what I will need for the truck & camper... E rated tire upgrade, suspension & air bag upgrade, gear & accessories to purchase etc. Since I adhere to the "buy once, cry once" theory, I like to fully research everything before making a final decision. I will undoubtedly have lots of questions for this group as I make my way towards final decisions.

Thank you all for the fantastic information and content that is contained within this thread. I have found this thread invaluable during this process and hope I can add some useful information to it as well.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year!!

 

Hi all,

Lately I have been researching suspension upgrades for my truck in preparation of the Kimbo and have a few questions for the group...

1- I am thinking of upgrading my leaf spring pack as my original OEM leafs seem like they are starting to sag. Does anyone have a suggestion on which leaf spring packs work good with the Kimbo in conjunction with Firestone airbags and Daystar cradles?? Thinking a standard weight leaf pack would work best with the airbags & cradles, as opposed to a heavy duty leaf pack.

2- Has anyone decided to run a heavy duty leaf pack instead of airbags & cradles?? If so, opinions and thoughts on the heavy duty leafs?? I spoke with Mark about this as I know he installed heavy duty leafs instead of airbags and in the end he said he wished he installed airbags instead of the heavy duty leafs. I will be keeping the Kimbo on the truck almost all the time, which is why I am considering the heavy duty leaf pack option.

3- Has anyone installed Timbren SES instead of airbags?? If so, opinions/thoughts on the Timbren?? I am definitely leaning towards installing the Firestone Rite-Rite airbags with Daystar cradles, but the Timbren do have their benefits (mainly no need to adjust air pressure).

4- I am still running the OEM TRD Bilstein Sport tuned shocks and have been pleased with them. Overall I think the stiffer Sport tuned shocks will work well with the Kimbo. However, looking for opinions on what upgraded shocks people have used and are pleased with?? Bilstein 5100s always seem recommended, but unsure if they are a good match with the Kimbo & airbags.

Thanks so much!!

 

My Kimbo will be on the truck 99% of the time.

I went with Alcan leaf springs and my truck barely sagged when the camper was loaded. I also went with bp-51s

I'm really happy how the truck is riding but I don't have a way to compare it to air bags

 

Thanks so much for your thoughts.
Thats a very nice setup that you have.
Bet the truck rides like a dream

 

I’ve heard rumors of a full-size Kimbo that may be going into production. Am I mad? Can anyone confirm if these rumors are true?

 

There have been rumors of a full size Kimbo, as well as a Kimbo based trailer, floating around for many years now.
Mark even said something like "maybe someday" in one of his interviews awhile back when discussing those possibilities.
Haven't seen anything concrete about them moving forward with either idea though.

 

Hi all,

So, E rated tires...

I have spent a ton of time the past few weeks researching lots of different E rated tire options.
Before buying the Kimbo I was interested in RT tires, but post Kimbo purchase, I have been focusing mainly on AT tires (lighter weight, better on road, Three Peak Snowflake rated etc).

After weighing my preferences, these are the tire options I like best:

Toyo Open Country AT3
Yokohama Geolandar A/T4
Hancook Dynapro AT2 Xtreme
Goodyear Wrangler Workhorse AT-LT
Nitto Terra Grappler G3
Nitto Recon Grappler A/T

Overall, I am heavily leaning towards the Toyo Open Country AT3.

Does anyone have experience running any of these tire options along with the Kimbo??
If so, what are your thoughts on how the tire matches the truck & camper??

I wasn't really considering the BFG K03, Falken Wildpeak AT4W, and General Grabber A/T X due to weight (they are all so heavy).

Thanks so much!!

 

I just picked up Kimbo #519. I have a Gen 4 Taco TRD Offroad 6 ft Bed. I went with E-rated Toyo M/T Open Country tires. I did notice increased noise driving around town as compared to the stock tires, but that is to be expected. And for suspension upgrade I went with Timbren SES (https://timbren.com/products/torttndr-toyota-tundra-2022-2023-rear-kit). Because the Gen 4s are so new, there wasn't any option for air bags I could find (ala Firestone Riderights). And, the Gen 4s don't have leaf springs that could be beefed up. The Timbrens ride hard with no payload when hitting bumps. But with the Kimbo loaded on it there is 0 sag and not as hard on bumps. The frame sits right on the Timbrens (no gap; but my Kimbo is fully loaded). I plan to hit a CAT scale next week so see how much I weigh compared to GVWR. I expect I'll be a bit over from the door sticker based on my spreadsheet estimates, but not worried given the tire/suspension upgrades I made, and the looong history of Kimbos successfully having many miles on Tacos. I'll be taking my 'Mars Hotel' space ship on its maiden camping voyage next week, and I may post any lessons-learned details on the Kimbo Campers FB page. ( ).