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[Spawn Sack]

Thanks for the replies guys I have towed various boats, trailers etc around the 2000lb range with the 4runner with no issues. I believe it's rated to tow 5000lb. However navigating the coquihalla etc I would not wnat to be anywhere near the max rating. As Lyall stated around 2500lb would be about the higest one would want to go and that seems reasonable. Several off road trailers I've been checking out are in that 2500lb range.

I hear what you guys are saying about dealer vs. private sale. I would like to shell out a few extra bucks and buy from a dealer, however I would consider a private sale. We are definitley not looking for a new one at this time.

HOOK, yeah we do the day trip thing from base camp all the time. My wife's family has a cabin on Pressy Lake with is near-ish Bridge Lake (70 Mile turnoff). Some of the lakes we 4x4 into are around 2hrs to get though from the cabin. We are used to the day trip scene but it would be really nice to stay the night and not have to TENT it, which we almost never do now that we are older. A tent trailer would be a huge comfort upgrade...ahh...electricity, shower (even if outside), fridge, etc. It would also be nice to have a tow trailer to take on random road trips etc.

Anyways I'll be doing more research on brands, features, weights.

Last question: obviously it is not that hard to check if the applicances etc all work in a trailer. How does one check if a roof leaks on a sunny day? Could you get someone to spray the roof with a wide fog on a garden hose?

[HOOK]

every tent trailer I have ever been in that leaked took on a distinct musty/moldy smell. If there is any mold staining ANYWHERE even on the curtains then it does or has leaked. I would be asking how they repaired it if they said they did or who repaired it if they had it done and if they have receipts for the work. Next problem area is from below, yes you can get leaks into the flooring which are the hardest to find and fix. I would steer away from trailers people took on decent to heavy 4x4 roads because this will beat the frame to hell. Trailers aren't really made for that if the off road type (off road means off pavement in the trailer world)

Our tent trailer had a slow leak in the roof which I couldn't find so I used a paint on sealant and it worked great and was very easy. After sitting all fall/winter when I went to open it this spring the smell was gone because it stayed fully dry. I did the repair before the camping season last year and we used it lots. Only sold because we plan to get a travel trailer

If you camp anywhere that gets windy I will advise you to strap the 4 corners of the trailer to the ground so they can't sway in the wind because this can bend the arms. Ours leaned somewhat because of this but strapping it back to a tree worked well to straighten it out 

Lastly - check every nook and cranny you can when your checking it out, even underneath if you can. Also if you plan to take it on 4x4 roads have tubes put in the tires so if you pop the tire bead your not stuck with a flat

[Spawn Sack]

Good tips HOOK thanks a lot! If I/we smelled mold/must that would be a huge red flag. Is there any way to actually "check" for leaks? Put a sprinkler on the roof maybe? I think with enough effort a leaker could be cleaned up and aired out enough so one could not detect any odour.

Most of the off road lakes we like are generally nice smooth roads to a point, then it's 4x4 low until we hit the lake. If any of ya'll go to West King Lake, Faulkner Lake, etc in the Bridge Lake area you know what I'm talking about. I think as long as the trailer had as much clearance as the 4Runner it would be fine and not get beat on. Generally we are going quite slow, looking for a good line into a big dip/rut, avoiding large rocks, etc. You could probably get out and run faster! The main factor is clearance, and as far as I can tell the off road trailers have tons.

About the tire thing...if you pop a bead how do you get the tire back on? Isnt this as bad as a flat...in other words...the tire still has to be changed right? Sorry I'm a bit un-ed-ja-ma-cated in this area I do get that if the tire comes of the rim and there is a tube inside it will not deflate.

[HOOK]

If you pop the bead you can still slowly drive on it until you get somewhere to jack it up and remove the tire to take it to have it re beaded, sometimes you can do it with big screwdrivers and a lot of cursing (I read its doable on a wheeling forum)

Musty/moldy smell can also come from them not airing out the trailer properly however when its just moist canvas once it dries fully and airs the smell should leave and the smell should be slight and not punch you in the face strong. We knew ours had a small leak when we bought it, you could see it on the roof panel in one corner by the water line the water left. I doubt someone is going to put a sprinkler on it for you seeing as that will soak everything and unless its a bad leak probably wont show up right away.

In regards to the off roading. Clearance is good yes but what really messes with trailers is the side to side rocking, this twists the frame and can cause issues, its more of an issue with a solid sided trailer though but you can still twist the chassis on a tent trailer. Off road ones should have a beefed up frame to prevent this.

If your really set on an off road tent trailer then I would look at one with a cargo deck on the front, this allows you ease of carrying stuff instead of loading the 4 runner to the roof. Good tarp or build a box to keep it all dry and dust free

[Tommybuckles]

What about the option if a rooftop tent? I have seen some nice ones out there and it for sure gets you off the ground. ARB makes a really nice one but I think you would have to get it from the States. All in for a really good one and the heavy duty cross bars I think you would be in for around 1500$. They also come with an awning for cooking etc. They are not nearly as comfortable as a trailer, nor would you have the storage, but you wouldn't have to worry about getting it stuck on an FSR road somewhere or stress about backing it up in some real tight spot.