Can You Put An 8-ft Camper On A 6-ft Bed?

If you are looking to maximize the camper space you can fit on a standard truck bed; you might want to know if you can put an 8-ft camper on a 6-ft bed.

Riding in a recreational vehicle can be exciting, but big RVs can be expensive and hard to drive compared to standard-sized cars. Putting a larger camper on a smaller vehicle might seem like a good alternative to big RVs, but you should make sure the camper fits so everyone is safe.

Though it is possible to put an 8-ft camper on a 6-ft bed, being able to do so depends on a variety of factors. The main factors are the design of the camper and its compatibility with the vehicle. It shouldn't be a problem if there are good spots to tie the camper down securely.

You should use common sense when determining if a specific camper can fit a certain vehicle. For example, if a camper is 8 feet long and excessively tall or wide, you might have a problem with your hands.

There are no limitations to how a camper is designed and made, so an oddly-shaped 8-ft camper can be incompatible with your vehicle. With that said, our findings below are about common campers and truck beds.

‍Can An 8-ft Camper Fit On A 6-ft Bed?

I’ve traveled in just about every type of recreational vehicle and can say that each type has its advantages and disadvantages.

Jumbo-sized motorhomes are awesome to lounge around and sleep in, but they can be a nightmare to take care of throughout the year, especially if we rarely use them.

The technical aspect of driving a motorhome or other larger recreational vehicle can be difficult and stressful.

There are loads of blind spots, maintenance issues, and other obstacles to manage on and off the road.

Adding an 8-ft or similar-sized camper to a standard-sized vehicle offers a great combination of having the comfortable interior features of RVs and lower maintenance needs of smaller vehicles.

Find A Camper With A Good Fit

Though there are multiple ways to attach a camper to your truck bed, you can save yourself a ton of trouble by selecting a camper that can neatly fit your truck.

You should measure the precise dimensions of your truck bed, including the tailgate, and see how well they line up with the dimensions of the camper.

Since the 8-ft camper might extend outside the rear of your truck, you may have to open your tailgate to fit the camper.

For safety reasons, you should make sure your truck and tailgate can handle the weight load of the camper.

Securing The Camper To Your Vehicle

To enhance the secureness of the camper to your vehicle, you should consider getting a camper that has more than enough mounts and other areas to tie down the camper.

Having additional tie-downs might also broaden the number of vehicles you can use with your camper.

You could potentially be getting more value for your camper since it has more versatility and usefulness.

If you have taken proper measurements of your vehicle and still feel unsure about whether certain campers fit, contacting your vehicle’s manufacturer might be a good way to ensure a proper fit.

Consult Manufacturers And Message Boards

You might also benefit from looking at relevant message boards from other owners of your vehicle that have campers.

Not only can you check with them to see if a camper fits, but you can also probably get a more personal and extensive review about the overall quality of the camper.

Contacting the camper manufacturer or looking for related resources online might be even more helpful when seeing if it fits a certain vehicle.

The camper’s manufacturer might have extensive information available about vehicle compatibility since they could very well benefit from getting sales leads that way.

When you finally settle on a camper to buy, you can have a professional help you install it to make sure everything is set up properly.

Putting an 8-ft camper on a 6-ft bed is probably not the ideal combination, so having a second person or group of people take care of the installation can give you more confidence when being out on the road.

Low-Profile And High-Profile Campers

Campers have varying heights, so you may want to focus more on lower-profile campers if you want to safely fit it on a 6-ft bed.

You will have to be more cautious when using taller campers since they can be heavier and might put an extra load on your vehicle.

Having a taller camper usually means there is a higher ceiling inside, which can make it much easier for occupants to walk around.

So if you do want to go with the taller camper, be sure you have adequate tie-downs and buy added reinforcements like turnbuckles, if needed.

Things To Consider When Putting An 8-ft Camper On A 6-ft Bed

A standard truck bed that is considered to be full-sized will generally be able to secure a camper with six tie-downs.

If you need to install additional mounts for tie-downs, you can probably get them at your local automotive supply store or have a professional buy and install them for you.

To prevent the camper from bumping against the back of your truck’s cab, you should try to leave at least four inches of space between the camper and the back of the cab.

Even if you tie the camper down firmly, you never know what types of twists and turns will occur on the road that could forcefully move your camper around.

If your 8-ft camper hangs over the back or sides of your truck bed, you should strongly consider getting mirror extensions to ensure you have a clear view of the sides of the camper.

Though it’s possible to place the back of a camper on a lowered tailgate, you should be sure the hinges of the tailgate are strong enough to support the weight of the camper.

If you are not sure if the tailgate can provide enough support for the camper, you should think about adding extra reinforcements that focus on the area near the tailgate.

For owners of flatbed trucks, it is generally possible to put an 8-ft camper on a 6-ft bed if there are adequate spots for tie-downs and other reinforcements.

Since there is less side security on flatbed trucks compared to standard trucks with side walls, you should take more precautions to minimize the camper’s lateral movements when driving.

You should always be mindful of every aspect of your vehicle and the camper when joining them together.

It’s easy to forget about certain components like the items inside the camper or the road and the weather conditions of where you will be driving.

Staying below your vehicle’s load limit is critical for having a safe trip with your camper.

If you need to reduce the weight of your camper, you can either remove the built-in features or lessen the amount of luggage or belongings you bring with you on your trip.

Optimizing safety when putting an 8-ft camper on a 6-ft bed will hopefully give you and your passengers more peace of mind and let you focus more on having fun.