Longer "Heel to Toe?"

Hello, Grant. There is only one shoe in our inventory that has more depth than the 15-004 that comes with the balance you purchased, and that's our 15-003; this is a wingless bottom fitting with a "heel to toe" measurement of 1-3/16".

That said, this is a fairly specific shoe and only intended to work in very specific applications. We can also only supply balances with a 15-003 shoe as a custom order, since it's not a standard configuration.

Before we pursue that, can you verify what the depth of your original balance fitting was? If your shoe is too deep, you risk permanently damaging the vinyl lining of the window. I want to make sure we avoid that at all costs, since going up from 1-3/32" to 1-3/16" is a pretty big jump.

Can you also clarify what you mean when you say the window is catching the shoe? When a balance shoe isn't deep enough, the sash will tend to shift from side to side during operation. Would that be an accurate description of the issue you're experiencing?

That does appear to be about 1-1/8", yes, but the problem is that they don't make a winged shoe in that size. In your case, 1" and 1-3/32" are the standard options.

We do sell the 15-001, which is 1-1/8", but it lacks those wings, which help keep the balance aligned in the track (if needed).

I suppose you could go with the Series 395 channel balance. This has a 19-005 top and 15-001 bottom, but considering your old shoe has wings I'm hesitant to recommend that. Like I said before, if the shoe ends up being too deep then what will happen is they'll dig into the vinyl channel as you open and close the window, causing irreparable damage.

As for the problem you're describing, the fact that the balance isn't being lowered with the sash when you close it is definitely a problem, but that doesn't have anything to do with the shoe. The only function the bottom shoe does is keep the balance stable; it does not interact with or catch on the sash in any way. 

It almost sounds like the top sash guide might be broken. These are located in the top two corners of the sash and they're what keeps the balance in the sash during operation. You may want to check to ensure yours are still in good condition; when the top sash guide breaks, there's nothing to hold the balance to the sash.

Absolutely! We carry a huge selection of top sash guides. If that ends up being the case, then seeing an undamaged version removed from the window would allow me to find a good match; the balance you have is compatible with about a dozen different kinds, so a photo reference will be needed. The best picture to take would be like a mug shot: one of the front, and another of the side.

We have a video on this topic that you may also find helpful. This explains the issue I described above in a little more detail. Give it a look to see if it's familiar. You can also see our full selection of top sash guides here.

Thanks, Grant! I suspected this might be the problem after your last batch of photos. I'm glad that we're on the right track.

So, I believe I do recognize this top sash guide. I have good news and bad news: the bad news is that you have an old Milgard brand guide that is no longer made and not possible for us to supply anymore. The good news is that we have another part that works just as well, with some modification.

See our 18-009. In my experience this is nearly identical to the original Milgard part except for the fact that it has that top edge that hangs over the rest of its body. I've used a utility knife in the past to trim that edge down to give it clearance to fit in the sash, after which it performs its job admirably.

Your next step should be to examine the dimensions we show for this guide to verify that they all line up (ignoring the top edge, of course, which you'll be cutting off). I think they should, but it's possible my eyes are failing me and you have something different. If that's the case let me know and we can look into other options.

Also be sure to wear safety gloves if you decide to go this route! I can't tell you how many times I've cut my thumb doing a trick like this, so better safe than sorry (even if you aren't as clumsy as me). Lastly, please note that any products altered in this way won't be returnable for a refund. You can see more on our return policy here.

Detail of 18-009

Side view of 18-009

You're very welcome, Grant. I'm happy you found this service helpful, and we really appreciate the order. Please feel free to reach out if you had any other questions. We're always here to help!