How to fix misaligned clothesline?

[rraus]

A clothesline was recently installed and it is not straight. The cord can be tightened but is this installation acceptable? Will it affect the arm movement in the long run.

[JacobZ]

Hi @rraus,

Looking at the brackets, they don't appear to be a long way out of plumb (vertical level), but the arms both appear to be bowing outwards. This tells me that the cause of the issue is not so much things being out of plumb, but the brackets being installed too close together. If the movement feels fine, it probably isn't an issue, but if it feels a bit tight, then I imagine it could get worse over time, so it would be worth addressing.

If you wanted to fix the issue, you would have to move one of the brackets outwards so that the arms are straight and they aren't bowing outwards. As the rail on the bottom edge of the clothesline is a fixed length, you could use it to work out where the brackets should be. Measure distance from the outside of the right arm to the outside of the left arm, and then move the left bracket over so the measurement is the same at the top of the arm.

This should make everything square and plumb.

Let me know if you have any further questions.

Jacob

[AlanM52]

Hi @rraus,

The pivot supports need to be further apart.

Whoever installed that get them back to do proper reinstall.

Anyway I would do this:

The pivot supports need to be moved, left one left and right to the right.

With the clothesline in the open position remove the left bottom screw then drop the line.

With assistance remove the top screw and pull the pivot support to the edge of the paling.

Hold that position and screw in one of the screws (may need a pilot hole).

Carefully open the line and do the same on the other side.

Note that the right packer paling is sitting on a back paling whereas the left one is sitting on a front paling?

Anyway... pull to the right so sides are parallel and screw in the top screw.

Open the line and put in the bottom screws.

Cheers