Spring Balance Replacment

I have double-hung windows. The spring balance has a free spring block and tackle configuration. The spring is attached at the bottom of the window by a stud into the foot of the spring holder. The top of the line is a bracket at the very top of the window opening and it broke off, releasing the tension. There is no channel structure encasing the mechanism.

The windows have no markings anywhere, except an impression on the top of the window lock that says "MW".

If I cannot find a replacement, can I completely remove all the spring balance parts and retro-fit a pair of new channel balance springs?

Also, can you help me find the studs that would project from the window to seat in the spring holding mechanism. I will send photos if it would help.

Bill

Wow! That was absolutely perfect! Helped alot and I will order and replace as needed. I think I will photograph the tilt latches and send the picctures, too. Thanks for your help - it was great.

Bill

I received my shipment and things seem to fit well, except for two items:

1. the sash pivot bar is 1/4" too short (see attached photo). It will not seat in the balance shoe. I purchased the 26-366 - is there a longer one? Should I re-drill the sash bottom and just slide it out an extra 1/4"?

2. I watched your installation video. It appears that the channel is turned toward the frame which exposes the cam, but makes it awkward to try to screw the top in. The channel bottom is out from the frame and the screw cantilevers out . I would think the channel goes tight against the frame with the channel open toward the window, but that would cover the cam. Does the screw hole at the top just bend toward the frame as you crank the screw in???

Bill

Tom:
Thank you.
1. I will either slide the pivot bar out and re-drill the holes to allow it to seat - or (since I only have 1 pivot bar broken) I will cut off the broken pivot bar, then drill and tap the main base of the pivot bar and run a threaded screw in to the proper depth and length.
2. I bought the spring balance assemblies and did not see the the balance shoe on them in the on-line catalog, so I ordered balance shoes. The spring assemblies came with balance shoes on them - but the shoes were both turned inward so that the cam slot was facing the inside of the channel and the flat, smooth back side of the cam was facing out. Since there are two simple rubberized, plastic squeeze nibs, I removed the shoes and reversed them so that the cam slot faces outward. That seems to work. Can't figure why they were sent assembled the other way???

Tom:
Sorry to bother you again. Re-drilling the screw holes to insert and set the pivot bar worked. However, I am now back to the problem of the shoes. The attached photos show that the (shiny) new assembly places the brake cam beneath the pivot point so that the window sits high and will not close. The old, original pivoting point of the window is lower and much closer to the sill. It seems that inserting the new pivot bar into the cam brake slot would place the pivoting point of the window about correctly to close properly. However, note that the cam slot is face down - not face up.
Bill DuVall

Thanks very much for taking your time to again respond to me. I agree with you. As it came assembled from your company it had to go in with the spring obscured. However, the metal tab at the top of the channel is on the bottom of the channel's "u" shape - away from the frame. If the spring is obscured, the tab is well away from the frame when you try to screw in the top of the channel to afix it to the frame and hold it in place.

You are supposed to use the tab at the top and screw it in, aren't you? That's how you determine where and how to mount the whole channel assembly.

Bill

Perfect! Yes - I did not look at it closely enough. I thought it was permanently fixed to, or part of, the channel. Thsanks

Bill