Removing the track cover?

Question

Hello,

First off, your videos have been very helpful and I just wish that I hadn't gone through 20 other videos that all had a different kind of pivot shoe than my window does. We moved into this house about six months ago and we're still finding "good enough" fixes that have to be redone. One is our office window, which doesn't want to stay up. I followed the advice on your videos and was able to remove the sash, revealing that I have spiral balances. I've attached pictures of both the working and the broken pivot shoe for reference.

The problem is that the track cover goes all the way from where the bottom sash lands to the very top of the frame, so I can't see a clear way of removing it without causing more damage. Without doing that, I can't measure the spiral balance for replacement. On top of that, putting the sash back in with the broken pivot shoe is a trick in itself.

It's 30 1/4" from the top of the sash to the top of the window opening, and the sash is 31" wide. It looks like I need the 600 series balance and 15-015 shoe but I can't get a length for the balance yet. It also looks like I may need the jamb spreaders (honestly kind of expensive for such a simple fix that I'll likely never have to do again) and a charging tool. Can you offer some guidance?

Burnnie
he/him/his

Tom · Accepted Answer

Hey, Burnnie. I agree, jamb spreaders can be a bit of an investment. I think you should consider what we call the "Cut Out Method" of removing pivots shoes. It takes a little more work but may be easier in the long run. The video below will walk you through it.

The balance cover can be an issue, too. I actually hate these. They look nice but they don't serve much of a practical purpose, and from the perspective of a repair person like myself they just get in the way. As for removal, they're different from window to window, but in my experience they usually just kind of snap into the frame. See if you can squeeze or wedge it out with a putty knife or even a screwdriver. It's not elegant but it should work.

Just make sure to wear gloves and goggles when you do this; if the plastic is brittle from sun exposure, it could crack on accident. Your windows seem in good condition so this probably won't happen, but better safe than sorry.