We know that you are so excited to pick up your new Outpost 6.5! We have put together this guide in order to ensure a smooth pickup so you get to your adventures without delay! While this guide covers most of the things you need to consider and prepare on your truck please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected] with any questions!
In the video below, Taylor, will walk you through the key considerations and steps to get your truck ready to pick up your Outpost 6.5!
Considerations for your truck
Truck Bed Internal Dimensions
The first step to getting your truck ready for your Outpost 6.5 is to ensure that the camper will fit into your truck bed. Please see our Truck Fitment & Install Guide for a detailed look at the dimensions of the camper and things to consider for determining whether or not the Outpost 6.5 will fit on your truck. This is also a great time to consider whether or not your truck will need the tailgate to be taken off, we’ll get into this more later on.
Truck Bed Tie Down Points
There are several ways to secure the Outpost 6.5 to your truck. The most popular method is to use the standard tie downs found inside of your truck’s bed. This is where the internal ratcheting tie down straps shine and make taking on and off your camper a breeze while staying slim for the trails. The most important thing is to ensure that whatever method you use to secure your camper to your truck is strong enough to handle the weight of the camper. There are also other methods to secure your camper such as the more traditional external frame mounted systems.
Truck Payload Capacity
Coming in at 1558 lbs dry weight the Outpost 6.5 is designed for half ton and larger trucks. When determining whether your truck has a large enough payload to handle the Outpost 6.5 you must also consider the weight of the 20 gallon fresh water tank, your gear and people coming for the adventures. You can find the payload on most trucks by looking in the drivers door frame, here you can find a sticker that lists the GVWR and the total payload for your truck.
There is nothing you can do to legally increase the payload of your truck as the GVWR is a number that is set for each truck. However if you have made any modifications to your truck, either adding or removing things from the truck such as the tailgate, this should also be taken into consideration.
Suspension Upgrades
While not necessary we do recommend adding some sort of rear suspension enhancements to improve the ride quality of your truck such as airbags or Sumo Springs. Some people will choose to add heavy duty leaf packs or springs if they plan on keeping the camper on a lot. All of this is up to your preference and can also be added after picking up the camper.
Chose the right tires
Make sure that your truck tires are in good working order with plenty of thread for a safe journey picking up your Outpost 6.5. It’s also important to ensure that your tires have a load rating of at least “E” rated or higher.
Steps to prepare your truck
Clear Your Truck Bed
Make sure to remove anything that may interfere with installing the Outpost 6.5 on your truck such as tonneau covers, toolboxes, etc.
Get a mat for your truck bed
Get a rubber mat to put between the Outpost 6.5 and your truck bed. We recommend using ½” horse stall mat which is relatively affordable and widely available at tractor supply stores. There are also speciality matts out there specific to different trucks. The most important thing is to make sure that you have something between the camper and truck bed to protect both and minimize the camper from sliding around.
Add padding to the front of your truck bed
We also recommend adding padding to the front of your truck bed. This can be added to the top rail or lower down on the front wall. Once again this step is made in order to protect both the camper and your truck’s bed from any scratches.
Wire the DC-DC Cable
The Outpost 6.5 comes standard with 3 modes of charging: solar, shore power, and from your truck’s alternator. In order to charge from your truck’s alternator you will need to run a 6 awg fused cable to your starter battery. You can do this beforehand at your local automotive shop or we can do it when you pick up your camper in Bayfield, CO. The DC-DC connection uses an Anderson style connector which is located at the front drivers side of the camper.
If you want to learn more about the electrical system on the Outpost 6.5 check out our Off-Grid Electrical System Guide!
High-Clearance Lights Wiring
The Outpost 6.5 also comes standard with High-Clearance lights in the front and rear of the camper. This connects to your truck via a common 4-pin trailer harness connector which can be found at most automotive shops.
If necessary, remove your tailgate
The Outpost 6.5 is designed to work with most modern 6.5’ truck beds with the tailgate up. It will still work great on trucks with shorter beds due to the forward center of gravity, however the tailgate will need to be either down or removed. Check our Truck Fitment & Install Guide to see if the Outpost 6.5 will work on your truck with the tailgate up.
If you still have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out to us at [email protected]!
