15-015 vs 15-045

A home owner from jacksonville FL. says:
Trying to determine if I need the 15-015 shoe or the 15-046. Taking measurement is hard to tell. However, the existing shoes have the blue center piece. Does that mean I should go with the 15-015?

Also, some of our tilt windows have a 5/8" spiral balance while others have a 3/8", with blue tip. It appears either size works. What is your suggestion? Is the weight of the sash the critical factor?

Thank you for your assistance!
Profile picture of Paul
Paul from SWISCO responded:
Thanks for posting! It's hard to say what you have without knowing your pivot shoe's exact dimensions. What is your shoe's thickness? Also, the 15-015 has a tell-tale notch on the back. Does your shoe have that?

As for the balances, it depends. Are we talking about these sizes being mixed and matched on the same window? Like a 5/8" diameter balance on the left and a 3/8" diameter balance on the right? Or are they uniform per window?
A handy person from Jacksonville fl says:
Thanks, I will look harder for the notch on the pivot shoe. The different sizes of spring balances is not mixed on any one window. Both sides of the window are uniform, either 5/8" or 3/8". As such, does it matter which diameter I use? Also, can I lubricate the doing of my existing balances and what would be best to use?
Thanks again for your assistance!
Profile picture of Paul
Paul from SWISCO responded:
Thanks for posting! If you're not sure, you can take a few pictures of your pivot shoe. That would help us determine what would be closer. Just make sure to remove the pivot shoe fully from the window before you post a picture.

Tube diameter is important. I recommend that you replace everything with what was installed originally. If the windows have worked fine up to now, there's no reason to tamper with it. You can use silicone spray for lubrication.
How to replace a tilt window spiral balance.
How to replace a tilt window spiral balance.
VIDEO
WATCH >
How to Remove a Pivot Shoe (Cutout Method)
How to Remove a Pivot Shoe (Cutout Method)
VIDEO
WATCH >
How to remove window pivot shoes
How to remove window pivot shoes
VIDEO
WATCH >
Anatomy of a tilt window
Anatomy of a tilt window
VIDEO
WATCH >
Swisco's 15-046 Pivot Lock Shoe
Swisco's 15-046 Pivot Lock Shoe
VIDEO
WATCH >
Reply to Thread
Use this form to ask a follow-up question or to share your experience regarding this subject.
(your email address will be kept private and is only used to inform you when a response has been made)
Current wait time is 3-4 business days
We promise that one of our experts will personally get back to you as soon as they are able. Thank you very much for your patience and understanding. If your inquiry is time-sensitive, please feel free to reach us at (888) 991-1929 or at help@swisco.com.