broken pivot lock shoes

Question

I have several different size windows from the same manufacturer (INE 96) with broken pivot lock shoes. I was hoping you could tell what size shoe I needed to fix them. I have to buy jamb spreaders to remove a good one to measure. Can you tell what size to buy with the information available? Thanks

Donna

Tom · Accepted Answer

Hello, Donna. I'm sorry to say it's not possible to ID your pivot shoes based on the two photos provided. They unfortunately don't tell me who made the window or what hardware was used in its construction, so we will need to start from scratch.

The most helpful information at this stage would be to see a clear photo of the pivot shoe removed from the window. Jamb spreaders aren't necessary for this step, and in fact we don't really recommend those unless you plan on repairing windows for a living. If your window lacks a pre-made cutout in the top, it's fairly straightforward to make one yourself. I'll share a video below that will explain how this is done.

Removing a pivot shoe is necessary before making a purchase for a number of reasons, but the most important is that you have to measure it yourself. That's the only way to know what size replacement you need. Even knowing the window brand wouldn't narrow down the list of sizes, unfortunately. Another important reason is because some important details can be obscured by the window frame, so it's usually just safer to remove it so you know you aren't missing a key detail.