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Subject: need replacement balances and pivot shoes measurements.

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Quick Learner from Chapel Hill NC
Sep 17, 2014 3:34 pm
I'm a contractor in Chapel Hill, NC, trying to help the local Community Home Trust keep their double-hung windows operating in an affordable housing apartment building. I need some replacement balances and pivot shoes for some older vinyl windows.

I believe I have found the pivot shoes, Product Code 15-216, the measurements look correct and they look like they will accept the balance bottoms of the existing balances. However, I could not find on your site the replacement balances with the bottoms that I need. Please advise?

Also, interestingly, some of the windows have 32B stamped on the balances, and some have 33B, even though the windows look exactly the same size to me. What's up with that? Could the 32B be used where the 33B now is?

Thanks, Jim
User submitted photos of window hardware.
7 Replies
Paul
Paul from SWISCO
Sep 18, 2014 12:47 pm
SWISCO
Expert
Thank you for posting. First, can you confirm if these channels are ribbed or plain? If they're plain, then the manufacturer actually made a nice and easy replacement for both the balance and pivot shoe. See our S795-32 with a stamp of 32B and our S795-33 with a stamp of 33B.

Speaking of the stamps, let's talk about how you have two different kinds. Just to make sure you get the right hardware, measure the length of the metal channel for both balances. This may be more accurate than measuring the windows themselves. I suspect they may be 32" long and 33" long respectively, as per my suggestions above. Am I correct?
Contractor from Chapel Hill, NC
Sep 18, 2014 5:59 pm
Paul, thanks for your reply. These channels are plain [non-ribbed], so if your S795 series will work for these, that would be great. You are saying that the integral pivot shoe on these balances will replace the existing 15-216 style pivot shoe, is that correct? If that is so, I believe I've installed balances with similar pivot shoes, and all you need to do is insert the shoe into the window channel and turn it sideways to install and then stand up the balance into the channel, isn't that right?

And I believe you are correct about the balance length, so I will order some 32B and 33B.

And I have one more question. One of these windows is downstairs, and the color of the balance channel is white instead of mill finish metal color, and the stamp on it reads 3300. Is this just a 33 length, and probably the same B strength as the others? Do you have them in white? [If not white, it's no big deal].

Thanks, Jim
User submitted a photo of a window balance.
Paul
Paul from SWISCO
Sep 19, 2014 8:48 am
SWISCO
Expert
Great! If they are plain then I think our Series 795 channel balance is a great place to start.

We don't carry them in white, I'm afraid, but it won't affect the function of the balance. I'm not so sure about that 3300 stamp, though. You may want to weigh the sash and choose the correct option based on the chart we have listed for the S795-33. That would cut right to the chase and tell you exactly what option you need to choose.
Quick Learner from Chapel Hill, NC
Sep 26, 2014 9:00 am
OK, Paul. Just one more question. If I go with the 795 balance, will they work Ok with the existing sash pivot bars, which look just like your 26-021 bars? I'm going to order a couple of these bars to replace broken ones. I believe this may be the last piece of this puzzle, if you could confirm.

Thanks, Jim
Paul
Paul from SWISCO
Sep 29, 2014 10:00 am
SWISCO
Expert
The 26-021 can work with our Series 795 channel balance, so I think you should be okay.
Quick Learner from Chapel Hill, NC
Sep 29, 2014 7:49 pm
OK, thanks Paul, I will now work on preparing the order.
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