I have the same trailer, but with 8" wheels. They're too small! Mine was used to deliver phone books in Denver before I got it. I noticed that it was sagging in the rear. Took the 3/4" marine plywood deck pieces off & found that the problem was that the folding hinge was worn. Removed the hinge and the dolly wheels & drilled a couple more holes in the frame & bolted the outer frame to the inner. Made the deck out of 2X6's (the middle had to be a 2X4). Now it doesn't sag & is rock solid. Had to change the license plate holder to a higher position so that the tilt function doesn't bang the plate every time. Amazing how well it works now! I've had nearly a ton on it & you don't even know it's behind you most of the time. More advice: If you use the stake holders to make sides for the trailer, paint the Front end of the front side flat black. If you apply your brakes at nite & the sides are painted a light color it nearly blinds you! HTH Don

mountaingirl - most everything I say is redundant as we have really beat on this tent subject here on this fourm! But you never know when you might hear of a new idea or a new style of tent. Obviously, since your shopping large tents, weight is not a big factor, at least not critical like for a back packer or even for Brian and his motorcycle. Let me ask, have you ever considered two tents, maybe two mid sized tents, rather than one large tent? I have a mid-sized nylon dome tent, 9'X 9' (6' center height), that I use for an overnight canoe trips, or even a short overnight or weekend "car camping" trip (I really have a pick-up truck). Now this tent is touted as being able to sleep 4-5 (and I suppose it could in an emergency), but there's plently of room for two and their gear and with my thinking, just comfortably right. What I like about this sized tent, and it being a dome tent, is it's weight of about 18 pounds and the ease of setting up and taking down. Should say that I also use this tent along with my small Starcraft popup camper - pitch it close to the camper and use it for a storage shed to keep camping and fishing gear out of sight. Over the years I've had different type tents, all the way from the small "pup" tents, to a large old timey canvas wall tent and even an umbrella tent that connected to the back of one of my station wagons of years past. Seems there were some other kinds of tents, too, but the point is all of them had their advantages and dis-advantages. Looking back at all of this mess, for what I do, I have to say I like canvas. Yes, it's a lot heavier and it cost more, but I don't think it required any more maintenance than nylon. So the bottom line for me, if I were in the market for a tent as my main stay (meaning that I did not have my tent trailer camper), I would think two tents: one like I presently have, a 9'X 9' nylon dome tent for traveling light, and a Kirkhams "Spring Bar" canvas tent for long stays. (Here's the idea what I'm talking about) - www.kirkhams.com Hippy touched on the subject ... just about everything has gone out of this country for manufacturing, except in this case, the Spring Bar tent, and that makes me all the more interested in having one. I realize there's a cost factor, but having two tents is a far cry cheaper than having a popup camper and a tent ... considerably so! Anyway, that's the best "profound wisdom" I can come up with today! Dale

Kathy ~ when you talk "cabin tent" I'm reminded of an old timey canvas "wall tent" I had many years ago. Now the thing had a ceiling height of something like 7' and there was plenty of room, but it was a heavy bugger and it practically took 6 men and a boy to set the thing up! It was like a major military operation going anyplace with the thing. I guess my point here is bigger means more weight (even though the newer materials are lighter than the old canvas) and more time to set up and maybe even more tent area for something to go amiss. What I like to do mostly with a tent is to make an overnight canoe/fishing trip down river. My main base camp is now a popup camper (tent trailer) so the tent is secondary. By the way, quite often I will pitch the tent next to the popup for storage, to get camping gear out of sight, like lanterns, fishing equipment, ect.. I'm 5' 11" and like y'all, I like to be able to stand up in the tent. Now I like the size tent I presently have and the previous one, too, which was the exact same size - 9' X 9' with a 6' peak. Pleanty of room for two people and their gear (and I should think for one little person, too). And it's an easy job of setting up and taking down. The present tent is an Eureka "Sunrise 9", I bought it a couple of years ago for $160.00 and they paid the freight - (www.vtarmynavy.com) This is an excellent summer tent in that it has great ventilation - and I've been caught out in some hard rain and it has nary leaked a drop ... that's around the windows or anyplace else. The previous tent, same size, 9' X 9' with a 6' peak, another dome style tent but it did not have the windows the present Eureka Sunrise has. But none-the-less, it was an excellent tent and I had it for a few years - also, some hard rains, but no leaks with that one either. Now I bought this tent from K-Mart - called "Northwest Territory". The tent was on a 30% Labor Day sale, regular $79.95 and I got the thing for less than sixty bucks, tax included. What's important is that tent does not owe me a dime, it was well used when I got through with it (but I also take care of my gear). Since your not going to use a tent all that much, I don't see how buying a K-Mart or Wal-Mart tent will be all that bad. Consider this, I know for a fact if you bought a tent from our local Wal-Mart and it leaked, or anything other was wrong with it, they would take it back and refund your money in a flash! I see our local Wal-Mart has tents on display and if I remember right, they were something like $59.95 for about the size I'm talking about. Bottom line: your not going to be using the tent all that often. AND, when you are using it, you'll be out doing things and the only time you will be in the tent is for dressing and sleeping. I'd vote for the Wal-Mart special. When you and DH begin planning to climb Mt. Everest, we will worry about finding you a tent with all the whisles and bells ... THEN. Good luck, Dale

Jennymama, I just wanted to say congratulations on your new quarters! I came to this thread late so have just been reading through the posts...I kind of started chuckling about halfway through at the different "camps" we are all in (those who say "go for it" and those who shudder at the thought of living in a travel trailer for several months, LOL.) I wanted to do that when we were building on our land, and two years later I still think our lives would have been easier in many ways had we done so (we also thought about going ahead and building the shop and putting a small bathroom in it, to live in during the build.) I think you have three really big considerations that will make you very glad you did this. One is that the drive to your dd's school would take up so much of the time that you will need for dealing with things as the house is being built, not to mention time that could be better spent with your younger one. Two hours a day, five days is a week is a LOT of time that you just gave yourself! The two other things will be important to your sanity and comfort over the next few months, and they are the facts that you can put your travel trailer a bit away from construction site for privacy from the comings and goings of the workers (and safety for the kids re: construction materials) and also that you have that big finished shop. If you can keep that for your own stuff and not have it become a repository for storing construction stuff, it will be a real asset as far as storing kids' toys and household goods. You can both have things with you that might take up too much room in the camper, and start to move more of your stuff when it gets closer to time for the move. Good luck with the build and enjoy the outdoors.