Unique hook coil

A quick learner from USA says:
This coil balance looks to be an older model of one of your's, can you please assist me in identifying this.
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

I'm afraid I don't personally recognize this spring. Can you show me a picture of the pivot shoe to which it connects? Can you also tell me how thick it is?

A home owner from USA says:
Its about 1" thick
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

Thanks! I think I recognize this setup now. That pivot shoe was just the clue I needed. What you have here is an old discontinued coil spring system that is no longer made. We suggest going with a new 15-140 pivot shoe along with a new Series 150 coil spring. I also recommend a new 15-143 bushing, 15-144 bushing cap, and 15-145 inside bushing. These bushing parts kind of sandwich over the spring and keep it stable in the track.

These parts are all obviously a different style, but they work under the same principle and should work  just as well. However, you'll need to figure out what Series 150 option to go with, since it's a whole different setup. I recommend weighing your sash on a scale and then dividing that by how many springs are used to support it. For example, if the sash weighs 12 pounds and you only have one spring on each side, you divide 12 by 2. That tells you that you need a pair of S150-6 springs, which support 6 pounds each. Does that make sense?

A home owner from USA says:
Hi Tom

The window sash weighs 20 lbs. so each spring should hold 10 lbs?

Thanks!
Tina
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

Thanks for clarifying! Ideally, yes, you'd want one 10 pound spring on each side. However there is no 10 pound option made for the Series 150, so we'll have to split that up even further.

I recommend using two S150-5 balances on each side of the window. These add up to 10 pounds per side and 20 altogether. Looking at your old photos, it seems you used two springs per side anyway, so I would bet this is exactly the configuration you've been working with.

A home owner from USA says:
Ok, so in addition to two S150-5 what else will I need to order?

15-140 pivot shoe
15-143 bushing,
15-144 bushing cap,
15-145 inside bushing

Thanks
Tina
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

Yep, that all looks good to me. Please let me know if you had any other questions and I would be happy to assist you.

A home owner from USA says:
I am confused. Am I replacing both balances, one on each side for upper sasH? or just the one balance? Please list how many of each item I will need to order.

Thanks
Tina
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

You want both balances on either side of one sash to be identical, so you should replace both sides, yes. The part list you gave me covers everything you'll need for one side, though of course since you're using two springs you'll need an extra 15-143 bushing, 15-144 bushing cap, and 15-145 inside bushing.

A home owner from USA says:

May I have some assistance with installing this double coil spring system. I have viewed the triple coil system video but it did not provide any help. If you could get back to me with some assistance on this it would be much appreciated. Thank you in advance for your help. 

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Paul from SWISCO responded:

Sure, I will do my best to help. 

With the sash removed, place the pivot shoe through the window track cut out first. The center nylon cam should be in the horizontal position so the pivot shoe slides in the track. Now put together the 15-143, 15-145, S150-5 spring and 15-144 together and slide them into the cut out next. Screw the unit in the hole on the track and with needle nose pliers, hook the end of the coil spring to the pivot shoe. Repeat the upper coil spring procedure with the spring tab on the opposite side so you can hook the spring end onto the pivot shoe. 

Now place a screw driver tip into the pivot cam and bring the pivot shoe down a few inches. Turn the cam towards you in a vertical position to lock the cam. Repeat other side and install the sash. 

Let me know if you had any questions.

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Paul from SWISCO responded:

The second spring would flip over and hook onto the slot furthest to the left.

A home owner says:
So my first piece hooks in like the pix I have attached?, not clear how the second coil spring hooks in?
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A home owner says:
I got the pieces installed but the sash still falls down. The new hardware is not doing its job. Any ideas before I call a handyman??

Thanks
Tina
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

I don't know why that's happening, Tina. The springs you ordered support 5 pounds each, and with two on each side that's 20 pounds of support. When you say the sash is falling down, can you elaborate? Is it slamming shut immediately after you open it or does it slowly drift down? If it's slamming shut immediately then the springs may not be properly connected to the shoe. If it's slowly drifting down then the springs are not strong enough and your sash weighs more than 20 pounds. Please check these details for me.

A home owner says:
its like they are not working at all.. Not drifting down. They are not doing their job at all
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Tom from SWISCO responded:

That's still unclear. Does that mean the windows are slamming shut when you open them? If so, then it sounds like the springs may not be connected to the shoe properly. Even if the springs were defective there'd at least be a little tension. If the windows are just falling down then something has come loose. Considering you were having problems connecting the springs to the shoe earlier, I think that should be the first thing we look at. 

I recommend removing the sash from the window and examining the balances while still in the track. One thing you can do is take a screwdriver, use it to  manually turn the pivot shoe cam, and try to move it up and down. It should be very evident whether or not the springs are connected to the shoe when you do this.

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