Need spiral balance and shoe replacements.

A handy person from Florida says:

Hello,

These windows are located in Fl, installed ~2004

Info as follows

  • Tube length: 28 3/4 inches
  • Tube width: 7/16 inches
  • Tip: black
  • Window weight: 18.3 lbs
  • Locking shoe width: 3/8 inches

BTW, these are tilt windows. I also measured the width 10 times according to the pics with a tape measure, and came out 7/16s each time.

I want to be sure I order the correct items for 9 identical windows.

Thanks!

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Tom from SWISCO responded:

Thanks for contacting us! I'm confident that we can supply the right balance for you, but I'm afraid that your measurements don't add up. I trust that you measure your balance properly, but the issue is that no company ever made a 7/16" diameter balance. It simply doesn't exist. So there must be something going on that's giving you an inaccurate measurement.

I know that some balances have a removable nylon cover over the balance for aesthetics' sake. Could this be the case with your balance? Is there perhaps a solid metal tube under the nylon tube? Or is that nylon tube completely connected to the balance and not separable? 

Considering your shoe is 3/8", I think it's pretty safe to assume your balance is also the 3/8" variety. 

Speaking of the shoe, you have an older style that's no longer made. That said, we've had luck using our 15-212 as a substitute. This is 3/8" thick and 15/16" wide. It should also be fully compatible with your old pivot bar. To add to my earlier theory, both the 15-212 and your original discontinued shoe were specifically designed to work with the 3/8" diameter Series 900.

One last note before I conclude. I don't think the color tip is black, either. Only 5/8" balances were ever made with a black tip, and a 29" long balance in that diameter with a black tip carries 31 through 40 pounds. That is way, way too heavy for a sash that's only 18.3 pounds. Assuming you have an S900-29 like I think, you'd want the Red Tip color option instead.

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