toilet overflow pipe flapper clamp source?

[My 2 Cents]

I'd just put a hose clamp above it, that ought to work. Just in case it doesn't

[Bill Baxter]

My latest toilet issue is that since I have one of those flappers that slides down around my brass overflow tube, the flapper is having the tendency to creep after days or weeks, creating a leak. Question: is there a clamp with ears that I could tighten around the overflow pipe so that I can use a standard flapper that clips to the ears? I really think this would solve the creeping, but I am unable to find a web source carrying such a clamp. Thanks.

[trader_4]

I'm not sure, but I think I may have seen such a thing as part of the kits at HD etc. Like a rubber part that slides over the tube, has ears for a typical flapper to attach. Have you looked there?

[Bill Baxter]

That's where I think I saw it before, but I'll know for sure today. Thanks.

I have to say that I'm surprised they don't do it this way with the slide over flappers because if mine's creeping, I'm sure many others had the issue as well. I already had a stainless steel hose clamp tightened just above it because the flapper had the tendency to creep upward, but now going side to side of course.

[Retired]

Would a a clamp of the type used on car radiator hoses work to secure the flapper you have ?

[Peter]

Try a rubber band that is wrapped around the overflow tube several times and then rolled down the tube until it touches the collar of the flapper valve. If it doesn't work, the right sized hose clamp should work.

[bob_villain]

Fluidmaster makes one with a spring clamp that has "ears" for the flapper.

[Bill Baxter]

Yes, that's what I ended up getting. I have it and their flapper installed now and running a test for a few hours to see if there's leakage before I do a full install.

I remembered after purchasing this today that they did have such a kit, but had forgotten about it. Before I remembered and asked them in the plumbing store about such a clamp, no one seemed to know that there was. I ended up going to Walmart where I spotted the clamp in the kit.

[Bill Baxter]

So far, so good. I should have done this months ago rather than trying to use one of those flappers that just slides over the copper overflow tube. This one offers significantly more support on that side and the clamp is tight enough that it won't shift. Will follow up in days/ weeks/ months ahead to tell how it holds up.

I have greatly appreciated this forum's help. I've been really struggling with this toilet for months and held up mainly in the flapper area. People at the plumbing places often don't know or else don't volunteer options like I have found here and most suggested toilet replacement much earlier on. I would have tended to agree if this had been a far newer home with modern toilet, but the bathroom is already an off-color pink and I was finding it very difficult to try and color match the existing toilet to a modern one. If it had really come down to it though, I probably would have been able to find one if no other choice (and still may.... who knows.... if I start hearing water running again!). For now, keeping my fingers crossed that this more solid flapper finally does the trick. So far, so good and dotting my crossing my t's and dotting the i's.

[Ed Pawlowski]

This is easy. You strip the bathroom down to the walls and replace everything with modern colors. For only $25,000 you can update the room and stop the leaking of the old toilet. The good part is, it will all be paid for with the water savings getting rid of that 5 gallon flush and replacing it with a 1.6 gallon.

Perfect solution. Oh, you're welcome.

[Bill Baxter]

Nice solution, Ed, if one has the extra cash. The water bill has been higher the last couple of years by about $150, so I doubt the savings gained by a complete revamping is the true solution. Retired+ fixed income and new bathroom don't mix. I don't even like to call a plumber because just to look at something they want to charge $200+. We have to have our drains snaked every so often due to tree roots. It's a $300 job for 15 minutes of roto-rooting. I've just started using copper sulfate this year and so far, no calls for rooting. Trying to save when I can. 20 years ago, such expenses weren't a problem but they are now. Of course, that was in the days when I had an "old time" plumber, charged $15 for snaking the drains. Those days are long gone, but my income didn't go up with the expenses.