Dome Tent

We've never used the screen, but others here have cut it like you said.  There are plastic tabs that screw into the pod that match up with the metal rings but I don't suggest using them.  Ours have always been a huge pain (hard to snap on/off, and some don't hold well) and I've seen other methods tried successfully such as suction cups.

Yes, the bottom screen goes behind the tire.  You'll have to make a vertical cut to fit it around the axle.  As far as the step, your instinct probably says to make a horizontal cut - don't - instead, make two vertical cuts, one at either side of the step that goes as high as the step.  That way, you'll have a piece of screen which slides behind the step.

I've seen shavings, which I think come from the screw heads inside the track.

We did 2 things to help make the slide easier--I used a small file and smoothed/rounded  the cut edges at the end of the track and I used a burr bit on the end of a battery powered drill to smooth the heads of all of the screws inside the track.  another podder showed an attachment to the leading edge of the tent slider that one can use to pull it along the track.  It was a piece of nylon webbing that was riveted or sewn into the slider material to make a "leash" to pull with.

we also have the 3 snaps screwed onto each side of our rpod to hold the rdome tight against the sides-they are stiff, but will not come loose in a wind or storm.

we love our rdome

Vann Evans
Pod People

  First go along the track and set the screws down tight, sometimes the factory does not do this and it makes a big difference. Second buy a can of silicon spray to lub the track and the bead on the R-Dome. Any hardware store, camping store, Walmart should have it, one can goes a long way.