Broken tilt latches and shoes

Quick Learner from Nebraska

May 4, 2020 2:31 pm

Like many others I suppose, I tilted my windows in to clean. By doing this improperly I now how several windows with broken "tilt latches" and some with broken "shoes". I need to determine the parts to buy and how to replace them.

Thanks in advance

2 user uploaded images

4 Replies

Tom from SWISCO

May 7, 2020 9:36 am

Hello! We should be able to supply these parts. I recommend looking at our 26-393B tilt latch pair and 15-195 channel balance pivot shoe to start out. Carefully compare our dimensions to yours to ensure that everything matches up, but otherwise these look to be our best options.

Quick Learner from Nebraska

May 13, 2020 10:21 pm

The parts were exactly what I need and fit perfectly. However the feet on the window protrude out so for that I have no idea how to position the shoes in order to fit the feet in them. Nothing seems to work, the feet just extend too far to reseat them? Please advise

Tom from SWISCO

May 14, 2020 7:18 am

It sounds like you're referring to the pivot bars. Getting the pivot bars back into a balance like yours can be a little tricky. I recommend looking at the video below. Most of this is totally irrelevant to your project and can be ignored; however, if you skip ahead to the 3:46 mark, you will see how we put a sash back into a window using these same exact balances. Hopefully this is some help.

You can see that my friend Mike here struggles with it for a second himself. What the narrator means by "adjusting the balances during installation" is that you have to physically force one of the balances down with the pivot bar due to the awkward angle. Just be careful not to break anything. You should be okay, but just keep in mind you shouldn't have to use TOO much pressure.