I am working to fix a Traco aluminum frame window in a high rise in Chicago. I believe the windows were installed in 2008. The shoe is pretty beat up and I don't see any cut outs along the track allowing me to remove the shoe.
It appears, see photos of shoe, that there is a plastic snap in guide along the entire vertical length of the window track. This plastic guide is black in color and on the right hand side of the shoe, as shown in the picture. It appears to be holding the shoe in the right side tract as it travels up and down. The left side holding the shoe in place is the brown aluminum frame.
Videos I have watched seem to suggest that this plastic guide can be pulled out, but It appears the upper half of the window, the fixed pane, is pressed against this plastic guide and would require the upper pane to be removed. I can't seem to get this guide to unsnap on the bottom far enough to to remove the shoe and I am concerned about breaking it while trying to remove it.
I have considered cutting the lip of this plastic guide, that appears to be holding the shoe in place, at the very top of the window just enough to remove the shoe. But I don't know if cutting only this lip would be enough to get the shoe out or if the entire plastic guide has to come out to provide enough clearance.
Do you have any opinion on whether this might work? Are you familiar with this window, track and how to remove this shoe?
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Tom from SWISCO responded:
April 15, 2021
Hello! Most windows have a cutout in the track to allow the removal of a pivot shoe like yours, but there are some cases where the manufacturer never bothered to include one for whatever reason. It sounds like that's your situation here. With that in mind, you'll have to make your own. The video below will show you exactly how this can be done. |
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Tom from SWISCO responded:
April 15, 2021
I've never worked on this specific window, but I doubt you can remove the jamb liner easily. If you can, it would require disassembling the entire window. Making your own cutout will be much much easier than trying to take the jamb out, and that's only assuming you can. I don't think it's worth considering. It definitely won't be easier any way you look at it, if that's what you're hoping for. Basically, your only hope to avoid having to make a cutout is if one was already included in the design of the window. Since it's not, you're out of options. Making your own cutout is the only way forward. The best replacement for your old shoe will depend on size. If you can give me the thickness of the original then I can make a recommendation. |
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Tom from SWISCO responded:
April 16, 2021
Thank you very much! If you had any other questions, please let me know. I will do my best to help. |
