Traco Power II Window Balances Broken

Home Owner from Denver, Colorado

Apr 23, 2019 5:55 pm

I have Traco Power II double hung windows that tilt. The window balances on the upper/outside window broke. A picture is attached.

I have 2 questions:

1. Are parts available?

2. Can the balances be replaced, and if so, how? I can't see any way to remove the balances from the "channel" they are in.

Ron

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6 Replies

Tom from SWISCO

Apr 24, 2019 2:38 pm

Hello, Ron! To answer your questions: yes and yes.

To answer them in more detail, see our 15-087 pivot shoe. This looks like it might be the only damaged part in your window. You may be able to reuse the rest. If you did need new springs, see our Series 180.

As for replacement, see the video below. This features a different kind of coil balance but the principle is more or less the same. The biggest difference is that instead of screwing to the track, your coil springs hook onto a bracket at the top. I'll also link a diagram at the end of this post showing you what I mean.

Other than that, the video is spot on.

Series 180 coil balance diagram

Home Owner from Denver, Colorado

Apr 24, 2019 4:32 pm

Thanks, Tom. Here are some follow up questions for your advice.

1.Cutting access to top/outside window balance. Windows are aluminum clad vinyl and the outside of the balance channel is aluminum It doesn't look feasible to cut or wide enough, so I'd have to cut out the bottom inside of the channel, rather than the outside, as shown in your video. See attached picture. Will this work?

2.There is a black rubber bumper screwed into the top/outside channel, 8 inches from the bottom. If an access cutout is made at the bottom of the channel, it appears this bumper needs to be removed in order to slide the balance down to remove it. Correct?

3.Removing sashes. On the bottom of the windows are pins with a screw, one side with a spring, that insert into the balance pivot shoe. Rather than twisting the sash to remove, it appears the screw needs to be loosened, and the pins pushed inward to remove it. With pins and tilt latches pushed in, the window would pull straight out. Pictures attached. Is this correct?

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Tom from SWISCO

Apr 29, 2019 8:31 am

Thanks for posting. I'll try to answer your questions one at a time.

Pivot shoe cutouts on most windows actually have both sides cut. The end result is a hole shaped like the silhouette of a pivot shoe. With that in mind, I think it'll be okay to cut on the other side.
I'm not sure what this bumper might be, but if it gets in the way of the removal of the shoe then I would conclude that it has to be removed.
I've never heard of pivot bars being removed in this way. In almost all cases, the sash has to be twisted out. It's possible your window is a unique outlier, but that's not something we can really predict. All I can tell you is the method you described is not at all common.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

Tom from SWISCO

May 8, 2019 2:29 pm

Thanks for getting back to us. I'll go one at a time like before.

You can use the cutout process in an aluminum window, yes. In fact, that's the only feasible method since you can't use jamb spreaders. If you cannot make a cut out, then you cannot remove the balance, which means the window cannot be repaired. There is no other way.
The integrity of the window will not be compromised by making a cutout. I don't see how that would come into play. Most windows are designed with cutouts already made.
I can't really predict what size cutout you need. That's something you just have to play by ear. Knowing what size to take it is half hypothesis, half gut instinct.
Yes, the entire assembly needs to be threaded out of the cutout. It won't just pop out whole, you need to remove the top and snake the rest of the body out, and reverse the process to put a new balance in.
The pivot shoe you have acts as a housing which cradles the spring inside.

If you aren't comfortable with this process, then we recommend contacting a local professional to come out and do it for you. That may ultimately be the most stress free solution.

Home Owner from Denver, Colorado

May 8, 2019 2:48 pm

Thanks Tom,

I'm having trouble trying to figure out how to make this work. Please see the attached picture. I tried to be as clear as possible, but this doesn't appear to be an easy operation. Please advise.

?The top/outside window face is aluminum (note D:), and it doesn't look feasible to cut into it.

?The channel appears to be lined with aluminum inside the vinyl on 3 sides (note C:). So the right/inside edge of the channel that I'd have to cut into is aluminum then vinyl. The difference between dims A: and B: is the right side channel wall thickness.

?Dimension B shows the opening I can make; from the outside aluminum to the right inside wall of the channel. This dimension is 1 inch.

?The pivot shoe 15-087 is 1 3/16" wide, so my cutout mentioned above is 3/16" too narrow.

?This means I'd need to remove 3/16" of material (alum/vinyl) from the right side of the channel. My best thought to do this would be with a Dremel/rotary tool. An alternative would be to grind out some of the aluminum on the outside face, but there's not a lot of material there and I'd be afraid to do this.

Here are some follow up questions:

1.Would the above cutout process work?

2.Would I be compromising the integrity of the window by doing the cutouts?

3.If I have exactly a 1 3/16" cutout opening, is this big enough to remove the hardware?

4.It appears the hardware "interlocks" and the entire assembly needs to be removed. Correct?

5.How does the pivot shoe attached to the springs, i.e how do I replace the old pivot shoe?

6.Follow up note: I have not yet tried twisting the sash out. I was afraid to break another pivot shoe, and the window is pretty large and heavy, so I will attempt this with assistance. Hopefully it removes as you've described.
?

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