31" red tip spiral balance for non tilt windows

Question

Hi, none of the 6 double hung vinyl windows in the house I just bought will stay open. The spiral is the same for all of them. 31" long, red tip, looks like the s400. In a few of the windows that I managed to force up, the red tip was shattered. There's grease everywhere.
The windows are marked 1989. In addition to the spiral, I think I might need to replace the bottom part of the mechanism (see attached photos) - the white and metal? piece(s) that the bottom of the spiral attaches to (and I assume the window tilt mechanism goes into???) I assume its the same for top and bottom sashes??
1. I can't figure out what that bottom part is or what it's called. Is it several different parts?
2. According to my calipers, the spiral tube is 7/16 - 1/2" in diameter (a bit squished and leaking grease). Which size is that equivalent to on your website?
3. I need to buy the spiral and mechanism for both top and bottom sashes for each window. Is it safe to assume top and bottom spirals are the same size if the two window sashes are the same? when I removed one bottom sash to examine the lifting mechanism, the top sash crashed down and it was a disaster... so I don't want to monkey with this anymore until I have the replacement parts ;-)
Thanks for your help!!!
PS I am a very handy lady who does a ton of DIY and carpentry around the house.

Jasmine · Accepted Answer

Hey there,

Thanks for writing in! The Series 400 balance is a 3/8" diameter spiral balance made for non-tilt windows. You'll need the S600-31 to complete the repair. It is a 5/8" (9/16" in the trade) diameter, tilt window spiral balance.

I would not assume that the top and bottom spirals are the same. It is best to confirm the dimensions to ensure you have the right replacements.

Also, to add tension to the balances, and to install them, you may need the 75-006 charging tool.

The pivot shoe can possibly be replaced with the the 15-046. Although, you will need to remove it and compare the dimensions to ensure it will be the right fit. The dimensions can be found on the website.

Please take a look at the video tutorials, tagged below this thread, for instructions on removing/installing the hardware.