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Balances I ordered are very tight

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Quick Learner from 32757
May 30, 2018 4:52 pm

these are pictures of the old balance and one of the new ones I have ordered from you (3800). I have successfully installed 4 (2 windows) however it was very tight. On the 3rd window, I cannot fit the window back into the sash with the new balance installed. 

when measuring the depth of the 2, the old one measures 1/2 inch and the new one is thicker measuring 5/8". I thought this might be the reason it was making the window fit tight in the 2 and not at all in the 3rd. also on the shoe and the top piece, i noted that the wings on the new one is thicker than the old one. 

I have been discussing this with Steve and these photos follow up our conversation. In picture 1 you can see the 2 laid on they're side and see the difference in the depth of the 2 (new one is 5/8"). I'm closing on this house in 2 weeks and this is one of the things I promised the buyers would be fixed. ...Rick

4 Replies
Paul
Paul from SWISCO
Jun 4, 2018 1:11 pm
SWISCO
Expert

It sounds like the problem lies with the depth of the bottom shoe. It's hard to eyeball that from your pictures, but I can't tell if you have our Series 380 or Series 385. I also don't know what you ordered. Did you order our Series 385? These have the thicker shoes at 1-3/32". It's possible you need the Series 380 instead, which has smaller shoes at 1".

The thickness of the metal channel won't matter that much, nor will the thickness of the wings. Just the depth of the shoe itself.

Quick Learner from 32757
Jun 4, 2018 3:25 pm

Paul, yes the shoes are thicker than the old ones and I shaved them down to even smaller than the old ones. Where I reset the window is above about 4-5" above the shoe to that doesn't even come into play. The only thing making sense to me is that the metal balance itself is 1/8" thicker than the old one.Add the 2 and its 1/4" making it to big for the sash to fit into the other side. Can you please call me so we can discuss further. I've been talking with Steve several and I'm closing on this house this weekend so I'm down to the wire here. Rick

Paul
Paul from SWISCO
Jun 5, 2018 9:40 am
SWISCO
Expert

In my experience, your older channel balance was just made by a different manufacturer. I've never found that difference in channel size to be that big of a deal. If you look at your last two pictures, you can see that your top attachment sticks out from the metal channel a little further than ours does. In your fourth picture, it also looks like when you lay the balances on their "bellies" they end up being the same height. I've always found that once these balances are in the window, they pretty much function the same way. The only problem I've ever run into was due to the depth of the bottom shoe.

If the size of the metal channel is the only problem, then you don't really have many options; they don't make channel balances in that size anymore. The ones we sell are pretty much the only ones available on the market. If you cannot get these to work, there's nothing else that will. 

I really do think the shoe is the problem. If the 1" deep shoe is still too large, could you shave that down to be a little less? If not, then there is no other balance that can work for you. You would need to try to track down this older model from hardware stores that would still have old stock lying around.

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