What are these for?

[Robert208]

I am new to owning a fiberglass rv so this may be a stupid question but...what are these used for? There is one in the front, one in the back, and two on the drivers side...none on the passenger side. Thanks!

Note. Picture is upside down. Loop faces up

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Robert208

I am new to owning a fiberglass rv so this may be a stupid question but...what are these used for? There is one in the front, one in the back, and two on the drivers side...none on the passenger side. Thanks!

Note. Picture is upside down. Loop faces up

Are those on the belly band? Looks like maybe something a previous owner added for some unknown reason. Could be anything from hold downs for a cover to some sort of awning supports (although none on the passenger side might rule that out).

[Jon in AZ]

Agree- could be anything. Some folks attach an ordinary flat tarp to the trailer and tie it across the top, using poles and guy ropes on the door side. That's my guess. I'll even go out on a limb- I'll bet it had four grommets on the edge against the trailer!

Looks like they're starting to rust, so it may be best to remove them and fill the holes.

[Franswa]

and a pretty good one really....throw a tarp over trailer, secure it to the four points....then tie the loose side of the tarp to trees using long ropes.....must've worked really well I bet

[Jon in AZ]

Not so well to me. Ropes tend to chafe the shell in the wind, attaching to the outer edge of the belly band is not strong, and flat tarps are loose and noisy in the wind and pool water in the rain.

[Larry,C]

Might be to hang decorative lights.

[TomandCallie]

They're called "footman loops" and are just for straps, bungees, ropes, etc. to latch on to. They were standard equipment on my old Willys jeep, although the jeep ones were flatter. But they do the same thing.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

Not so well to me. Ropes will tend to chafe the gelcoat in the wind, ...

Bungee might be better but still not good. If OP sees the tell tail marks on the gel-coat then thats a good clue that they were in fact tarp tie-downs. I doubt that the abrasion from rope or bungee would show up on the photo however.

[RogerDat]

Originally Posted by Larry,C

Might be to hang decorative lights.

I'm betting this is correct. Too little strength there at the belly band and in those loops for a tarp or much else to tie to. People have had discussions about how to run rope lights or strings of lights around belly band.

Are they good attachment point locations for running light string around camper?

They could also possibly been for attaching / routing a cable for TV or wires for solar or.... what else to people run wires for on a camper while set up?

[Mike Magee]

Looks handy for tying a canoe up top.

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Looks handy for tying a canoe up top.

Catch a bit of wind under the canoe and that's the last you'd see of it. Only memory would be the holes in the trailer where those loops ripped out.

[Robert208]

Yes they are on the belly band. Old looking with no obvious use. I appreciate your response

[Robert208]

The jeep reference is interesting and all comments are appreciated. No abrasions but the previous owner just painted her.

[Jay H]

I had eye bolts through the belly band of my boler when I bought it. I assumed it was to tie a tarp down over the roof when in storage. They were pretty insignificant and there were only four (front and back, both sides). Maybe they were for the same purpose.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by Robert208

Yes they are on the belly band. Old looking with no obvious use. I appreciate your response

One thing about using the BB like that is the shell is less likely to leak. No telling what the original idea was, might have been tie points for a 3 pound pooch .

[Uncle Cereal]

Originally Posted by Robert208

Note. Picture is upside down. Loop faces up

Robert,

The only way I've found to post "upside up" pictures is to transfer them from my iPad to the computer, turn them around, save them, and use that "modified" picture.

I used to put all my pictures upside down because it was my only option. I'd rather take extra time and avoid the "upside down shame"...

[garycarolyn]

Gives me the shivers just thinking of that canoe sailing down the road when the hooks give way - and they will!!!

[Mike Magee]

Well, in my defense, I couldn't tell from the picture how big or strong they were; visual perspective was somewhat lacking.

[gordon2]

Originally Posted by Mike Magee

Well, in my defense, I couldn't tell from the picture how big or strong they were; visual perspective was somewhat lacking.

In fact without perspective, I thought that perhaps they were attachment points for a hoist so that you could raise the trailer off the floor to work under it. Or if the ceiling were high enough, raise it up to have storage underneath.

OK, I didn't really think that was what they were for.. but for some reason the thought did come to mind.

[RogerDat]

Zoomed in as the picture is to show detail does sort of remove context for size. I have used and seen copper and steel/galvanized pipe, cable, and conduit clamps like that enough times that I recognized them, that provided the size perspective.