Watson Stabilizers

[RWPerry]

While installing the stabilizers on the front of my Senior Six, the center adjusting shaft broke, it was pot metal unfortunately. I have found a place that makes steel replacement shafts, Classic & Exotic Services. They are not cheap but if you need it you go with what you can get. Anyhow, I was wondering if anyone has any experience rebuilding these things and if there are any problems I should be aware of or look out for. I haven't taken it apart yet so it is not to late for any warnings or sage advice.

[RWPerry]

I went ahead and took my stabilizer apart and again got to observe the wonderful structural properties of pot metal. I will have to make or buy a new center shaft and I suppose I better check the other three since they are probably ready to go also.

[Taylormade]

Ouch! Another example of "what were they thinking?" or, maybe, "this car was not designed to last over 80 years." Were these original equipment on your car?

Edited August 15, 2013 by Taylormade (see edit history)

[RWPerry]

Yes, these were the original stabilizers. Intergrannular corrosion of zinc is not a pretty sight but like you said, they were not expecting them to still be in use after 86 years.

[Pete K.]

Just a thought, I was under the impression that the earlier Watson's did not use the potmetal innards, like on the Packards of that time, 1927-ish. I can't verify this at this time though, sorry.

[gundog99]

The large nuts on my Watson's are steel, I hope the rest of shaft is as well. Yet another thing I will have to keep an eye on!

[RWPerry]

The large nut and shaft on mine were one piece so if your nut is steel the whole shaft should be steel. I don't know when or if they changed to steel but in 1927 they were definitely using pot metal. If Watson was changing materials DB could have used different ones depending on when they purchased them. I was just unlucky enough to get the pot metal ones.

[gundog99]

I had thought that mine were original to the car ,but after eighty years I could be wrong. If you fit a replacement Stabilizer remember that the front ones are different to the rear ,they should not be mixed

[RWPerry]

gundog99: Yours could certainly be original, it might depend on when the car was built. I just checked my rear stabilizers and the mandrels in those are steel. The two front ones are pot metal so I do not know if the rear ones had been rebuilt, maybe when the guy I bought it from started restoring it in 1976, whether DB had a mixed batch during manufacture, or if they were replaced at some point. Actually the front and rear are basically the same, just different brackets and different spring tensions. For Dodge Senior 6 the front is 28lbs with 6" lap and the rear 18lbs with 4" lap. Of course the right and left are different in the direction of rotation. If you do not already have one the web site www.classicandexotic.com has a free downloadable copy of the 1927 version of the Watson Stabilizers Service Manual which is really helpful. They also have the replacement mandrels. I have not found another source yet.