Re: [VACList] Voyager vs 19' Globetrotter?

["Forrest McClure" <rollie51@xxxxxxx>]

I have a 1966 20' Globetrotter (listed at 2,910 lbs.) that I initially towed
with a 1987 Ford Aerostar mini-van. The van had a 3 liter engine and was
rated by Ford to tow 5,000 lbs.(over-rated). Out on the plains the van towed
quite well, but I never had confidence in it to tow in the mountains or any
place where there might be a long descent. I felt the engine would have done
an adequate although uninspiring job, but the brakes are where things would
have gotten terrifying. Look at the brakes on your Voyager. What is the
diameter of the disks? On the Ford they were 10" and often overheated (by
that I mean near brake fluid boiling temperature) with only four passengers
in the mountains. Granted the trailer has its own brakes, but that doesn't
mean you can scrimp on the brakes on the tow vehicle. The heaviest thing I
ever towed with my mini-van was a pop-up trailer at about 1,500 lbs. The
other thing to consider is that your Voyager is front wheel drive - good for
daily driving, but not so for towing. You want your power going to the
wheels with the most load. Weight on the hitch will lighten the weight on
the front wheels, which is where your front wheel drive is. We now tow with
a F-150 pickup (gasoline) and are very glad we switched.

Happy Trails,

Forrest