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The Chicken Trailer

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11K views 78 replies 15 participants last post by  stupidchicken03 
#1 · (Edited)
The Chicken Trailer (AKA Mobile Chicken Coop)

Welp, I did it.

Ive had this idea running around my head for close to a year, maybe longer, about building a small adventure trailer. Some of those who follow my build journal for the car saw that I installed a hitch receiver this week, and it's because I pulled the trigger on a trailer last weekend.

Its the back end off a 3rd gen Toyota truck (78-83). I wanted something on the smaller side and lightweight since the Crosstrek isnt going to be winning ANY type of sled pull lol. It's already registered and plated here in California.

The primary use will be for camping/exploring and all around fun. The secondary use will be to use it to move things and/or dump runs etc.

Ill keep the second post of this thread updated with "mods"/plans. The 3rd post will start the pics from the day I bought it.
 
#3 ·
The day I picked it up










All around it is SOLID, very little surface rust and no rot. Has a functioning tailgate and the taillights are wired/working.

Ill be removing the lumber rack. Then remove the bed tool box and make a base for it on the front of the trailer. The plan is to get some type of tonneau cover (or similar) while building a smaller exo-cage above it to mount a roof top tent.

I want decent access to the bed to store camping things, but also want the tent to be same height, or preferably lower, than the roofline of the Crosstrek.

Its a start!
 
#5 ·
I wouldnt be surprised if more lights appear haha!

Primary goal is to get it weather/dust proof. So removing the rack/toolbox and getting a cover/shell, then filling in some small holes that were used to run wires/whatever from the truck. Get some new seals around the tailgate and maybe tail lights.

The lights (running, brake, turn signal) right now are all running off a single bulb in each housing. I think I would like the turn/emergency to use the upper amber of the lights as it would have from the factory. So ill see if thats possible with the 4 wire harness. Id assume it would be as easy as plugging in a new bulb in that socket and splicing the wire to it.

Ill probably just Rino line the whole thing and never have to "worry" about it getting scratched lol.
 
#6 ·
Looks super clean with just some surface rust. Are you planning on painting it. Somehow I think this project is going to grow. Any plan to change out the rims ? Spraying the bed is probably the best way to go. Will also help to keep things from sliding around. The box is a sweet addition for carrying smaller items. Heck, the diamond plate tool box runs about $250 new. This is going to be one unique rig behind the Crosstrek. I still bet you add some sort of work light...:happy:
 
#10 ·
My kinda maintenance! lol Pressure washer will do great :)

This is friggin awesome...will definitely be following this thread!

Is there a reason not to gut the rear differential to save weight & friction?
Ive thought about that! Ill look into it more for sure. I know right now it has fluid and does not leak, so as of right now, it works haha.
 
#17 ·
Well, it's certainly primitive looking. ;) But you did say you wanted to go cheap.
 
#19 ·
If cheap wasn't an issue, I though since I first saw this that it was the perfect trailer for Crosstrek offroaders.

https://www.blessthisstuff.com/stuff/vehicles/misc/moby1-xtr-expedition-trailer/
 
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#40 ·
If wishes were horses beggars would ride :eek:ccasion14:

Looks sweet
 
#20 ·
^ I wouldnt be surprised if that was too much weight for the Crosstrek!

And rigs like that usually START around $9,000 :icon_exclaim: and yea, the one you posted is $16,500....damn!

But yea, for me, its going to be a bit of a budget build where I can DIY a lot of it and have fun doing it :)
 
#22 ·
Did some tinkering with the trailer this weekend.

Hooked it up to the Crosstrek for the first time and took it out around town. Felt nothing in the Crosstrek :)

Obviously will more weight in it, especially up hill, it will be a different story.



With the car hitched up, I threw a level on it to see how the rake was. Just slightly off by about an inch, not too bad.



Since I would like the RTT to sit level/lower than the roof of the Crosstrek, I threw up a string line to see how high off the bedside that would be.

Ive got 19 inches roughly.





After I got the measurements I wanted, I removed the tool box and lumber rack. Now ive got my blank canvas :)

 
#29 ·
That looks pretty nifty. I really like the taller stock wheels on it as my early 80's Coleman pop up tent camper has little tiny wheels that slam into small pot holes. Given to me though and it is extremely light. Do you have an approx. weight on what you have so far in the bare bones of it? What did the butt end of a toyota pickup set you back?
 
#33 ·
Yall feel free to call it whatever ya like!! lolol



Honestly not sure about the weight.. I would really like to try and find a local scale I could throw it up on. Then see the end product gains. It cant be very much, maybe 3-400 lbs??

Got the whole setup for $550. I could sell off the tool box for probably close to $200 if I didnt plan on re-using it. The lumber rack might be tough to sell and might just cut it down and use scraps of metal off of it when needed.
 
#31 ·
Does this mean we're going to have a lively discussion on what to call SC3's trailer??? :happy:

artosa
 
#36 ·
Fired up the welder.

Keep in mind, this was my FIRST time playing around with any type of welder. I watched maybe an hours worth of videos to learn some basics and headed out to the garage to tinker.

First pass (on the bottom) was clearly too hot lololol. Turned the amperage down and laid the continuous bead above. Id like to think that was decent for a beginner haha.

My buddy who works in a machine shop said he'll get me a bunch of scrap from work so I can practice on it. Practice practice practice then practice some more on the trailer ;) :p

Wood
 
#38 ·
I had an uncle, who has since died, who was a very good welder. This reminds me of a couple of his stories.

Back in the day my father and his daughters were very into 1968 Mustangs. So among other things, one bad condition one was bought for parts to fix the others. One time he was cutting something off the undercarriage of one, and sparks got into the interior, and even with one door and the windshield removed, the fire took hold fast enough to blow out all of the rest of the glass.

Another time I was giving him a ride back to his house, this was some time after he stopped driving, and he started telling me a story about this guy with a big electric welding rig that he put in the back of a pickup truck and parked near his barn back in the 1960s. And then he pointed to the side of the road and said "and it hasn't moved since then" as we passed an old pickup truck with a welding rig on the back of it.
 
#41 ·
Found a scale thats only 12-15 mins from home!

Going to call them up later this morning and see if there is a charge or anything to come use it.

Wouldnt mind 1) putting the bare trailer on there to get a base B) throw the crosstrek on "as is" with the tools/recovery gear I keep in the back, on to see what it comes in at. #) If I can get a 3rd test in, pull the trailer on attached to the Crosstrek and see if the two individual weights add up together hahaha.
 
#42 ·
If they aren't too busy maybe throw them a few bucks for it. This is something they can do, but it's not their line of work.
 
#44 ·
Have fun. I've only weighed my vehicles while scrapping stuff. So first you get the loaded, then the unloaded weight.
 
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#47 ·
hahhahaha yea if I played around with it as a kid (who's to say im not....) there might have been issues (bit surprised there havnt been any yet... lol).

My gramps also gave me an oxy/acetylene package too! Two full tanks, cart, hoses, nozzles, etc etc. I have not even touched that stuff. I think I would probably want to get the tanks inspected to make sure they and the regulators are still safe.

Another time though haha.
 
#48 ·
Or have hazmat take them away...

While the tanks should be secure so long as the valves are fully closed, they're still bombs, in the hands of people who aren't trained on them.
 
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