2005 Builder Grade Non-Tilt Spiral Balance Windows

Hello! It does sound like you need new balances, yes. The bottom of the spiral rod appears to be clipped onto the bottom lip of the sash. What you want to do is have a friend hold up the sash while you attach a hook, like our 75-005, to the hole in the tip of the spiral. Then firmly pull down to unclip the balance from the sash.

It's important to have a friend hold it up while you do this, otherwise there won't be anything holding the sash up when you disconnect it and it will fall on your face. I may or may not have done this myself in my early days and I can promise you that it's not a fun time.

If you're just removing the balances, you don't necessarily need to turn them. That's just for when you're putting them back in. In that case, you want to give them 3-4 clockwise turns.

If you want all new balances, that's a whole different project. These can be a bit of a hassle to repair. One thing to understand about these windows is that they're not made to have any hardware replaced. The sash can't even come out, which is the most frustrating part. It's still possible, just understand that it's going to be a project.

You'll need to first disconnect the balances from either side of the window the way I already described. Once both are disconnected, lower the sash and unscrew the balances at the top. Then you'll need to try your best to pull the balances up and out of the top of the sash. This will either be straightforward and easy or very difficult depending on how much clearance you have.

Once they're out in one piece, you can come back to us for identification. I'll need to see a clear picture of the bottom clip at the end of the spiral rod. I will also need to know the color of the nylon bearing at the bottom of the tube and the diameter and length of the tube itself. Finally, tell me the length of the internal spiral rod. This should be either 1" or 2" longer than the tube.

I know that's a lot, hopefully it makes sense. We can always cross that bridge when we get there. Let me know if you had any questions!

I couldn't agree more! Adjusting is always a good first step. That'll usually give the balances another couple years of life.

If you had any questions, you know where to find me.

I recognize this balance now. Unfortunately, that metal hook you have has recently been discontinued and is no longer something we can provide. While Series 306 looks similar, it rarely works as a replacement in my experience since the hook is oriented 90 degrees compared to what you have now. 

There is also no confirmed substitute for your balance at the moment due to the public health crisis. We simply haven't had the opportunity to experiment with different options.  One possible substitute could be the Series 400 along with a new 17-031 bracket. This works sort of the same way except instead of hooking onto the sash, the 17-031 bracket cradles the sash from underneath. It would require drilling a new hole and using a #8 screw. I cannot guarantee that it will work well, but it's the first thing I plan on checking myself once I'm able to get back to the shop. I just don't know when that will be.

I'm very sorry that we cannot offer an alternate solution.

Unfortunately, these balances are still discontinued. At this time we can confirm that there is no applicable replacement in our inventory. 

I'm very sorry for the inconvenience.