need help with window repair...

Quick Learner from Pittsburgh, PA

Jan 14, 2019 9:59 am

I called customer service on Friday and talked to rep about my window wobbling left right on top sash and not lining up completely. Took plenty of pictures.

This is first upload.

I labeled pictures based on description of view.

This is a Tracco window.

Bottom sash when tilted out there looks like there is only one balance and right side has two. The holder for the sash is under the two plastic pieces and is hard to get window back in.

Right sash has two of these above sash shoe.

The top sash wobbles left and right letting air in on both sides. Left side top sash has two plastic things above shoe. Right side only has one.

The window locks are not lined up vertically nor horizontally.

4 user uploaded images

10 Replies

Bob from SWISCO

Jan 14, 2019 12:31 pm

Thanks for contacting SWISCO. The fact you have two coil springs on one side and just one on the other is a bit weird; balances should be symmetrical. It is best to try and set you up with a new spring system. Could you provide us the exact weight of your window sash? Be as precise as possible. We can use this to calculate the new springs you will need. Just let us know!

Quick Learner from Pittsburgh, PA

Jan 14, 2019 1:36 pm

ok so take each sash out and weigh it? I can do that.
Also what do you think about the top sash wobbling left and right..not being tight in the track?

Bob from SWISCO

Jan 14, 2019 3:06 pm

If the windows sashes are identical, there is no need to weigh each of them. This would only be needed if you suspect that they are indeed different. As for the wobbling, I can't be entirely sure, but I would not be at all surprised if this was due to the uneven tension with your balance system.

Quick Learner from Pittsburgh, PA

Jan 15, 2019 9:25 pm

Hello,

I weighed the window and it is 13lbs11.6oz.

Bob from SWISCO

Jan 16, 2019 2:22 pm

Great, thank you. It's not common that a sash like this will have an odd sash weight like this; perhaps that's why the original installers put in lopsided coil balances. Either way, when determining what support will work for you, we will have to round up to 14 pounds or round down to 12 pounds. I feel better about rounding up to 14 pounds. I think it'll be fine.

With that in mind, I recommend our S180-7. These have 7 pounds of support, so one on each side should be just what we're looking for. You can reuse your old shoe/housing, but if you needed a new one then see our 15-087. You can discard the old secondary housing on the one side of your window since we're only using one spring per side.

Let me know what you think of this solution.

Quick Learner from Pittsburgh, PA

Jan 16, 2019 2:49 pm

This sounds good. What part would I pick that you put the tilt bars into from the window...i would like one with grooves on it to set the window into....
makes it easier to put the window back in and take out

Bob from SWISCO

Jan 17, 2019 9:54 am

I'm not sure what part it is you're referring to. It sounds like you're referring to the pivot shoe, which is the 15-087. I'm afraid you don't have any option other than this. They only made this pivot shoe one way. I don't think it'd be possible to make this with grooves in it, anyway, since that would interfere with how the coil spring rests in the shoe itself.

Quick Learner from Pittsburgh, PA

Jan 17, 2019 10:15 am

ok that is fine i will go with what i need.
i found it hard to put the pivot bars back into the shoes to put the window back in.
So i need the shoe, the case for the coil and on the link you gave...i just buy the housings that are listed on the diagram of the other related items for that group?

Tom from SWISCO

Jan 18, 2019 10:13 am

The only housing you need is the 15-087. This doubles as a pivot shoe and a housing. You'd only need the 15-086 if you had two springs on each side, but we're avoiding that.

If you want new hardware across the board, you'd also want a 16-024 bracket and 33-072 screw to mount it. See the diagram below for an idea of how these parts interact.

Detail of 15-086