While enjoying the 4th of July festivities in our GV I was sitting under the pop up in front of the rig and notice two receiver hitches. Each is about in line with the middle of the windows. These do not appear to be after market add on but made to fit where they are located. I have looked up the subject here on the Forum and most of the folks are talking about spotter hitches for launching boats. Really?? Someone is going to launch a watercraft downhill into the water with several tons of metal wanting to follow the laws of Newton. I don't think that this would be a wise move but am sure that it has been done before. I think that a more likely purpose would be for receiver steps that you can slip in to step up to clean the windows on the front of the rig after a long day hitting every bug within 5 miles of the highway. I have actually seen these for sale before at RV shows. Was wondering if anyone knows if this was the original purpose of these receivers. Perfect spot to store the step would be in the front compartment area. Lots of room to attach some brackets. I do not see any holding brackets anywhere in the front area that would have held said steps but am on the hunt for ones that would work.
Tow receptacles
Scooter Carrier (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=21100.msg156105#msg156105)
Or a deer guard and window wash step
(http://www.foreforums.com/MGalleryItem.php?id=2309)
Having a "platform" formed by the bumper and the fill metal behind it I made a safety harness out of two carabiners and a piece of 3/8" diameter rope. Length of rope is determined by trial & error method because of derriere size.
I hook one carabiner onto the handle below the windshield, sling the other carabiner around my butt (here size DOES matter) and then hook that carabiner to the same handle. Now I have hands free to wash/clean the windshield.
When we purchased our coach, the previous owners included two "push bars" (that fit into the front receivers) with the stuff that went with the coach. See photos below. They said they were told that the bars were used to push the coach around the FOT factory lot (backwards, I assume) during production. They could also be used to move the coach around a repair shop if it was disabled or the engine would not start. I've never used them for anything.
When inserted into the front receivers, they stick out past the fragile fiberglass panels under the front bumper. I guess they could also be handy if, in a emergency situation, we ever needed to push another vehicle with the coach.
I've also heard of owners mounting bicycle carriers in one or both of the front receivers.
20 yrs ago when our kids were young we hauled the bikes on a front tow-hitch that I had installed, we had a boat then so when it came time to launch or recover I could see what I was doing. It was a lot easier to push the boat in from the front than guess what was going on in reverse. "Path of least resistance" ^.^d
Have the same set up that Chuck has came with the Coach. and it sure looks factory to me. 8)
Yes, factory. This thread has the page from the owners manual showing how they are used for towing with lift straps (which don't seem to be used anymore): Levers? (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?topic=26342.msg211007#msg211007)
Thank you all for the suggestions and information. So they appear to not be some trick windshield cleaning option but rather just a way to get the rigs around the factory storage lot back in the day. I had a couple of friends from New Hampshire tell me they were for the snow plow option that use to be available at the time. But then again those folks have been know to tell tall tales in that part of the country. I believe that Chuck and John had the best and correct answer for those receivers on the front. I did find a nice two step receiver step made for the Chevy Silverado that would work perfect but then again just another item to carry along and add to the weight of the rig. Maybe the old step stool is still the way to go on the windshield washing.