Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the nuts that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became loose in the flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a slot in the top and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt while turning the nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring. I see bolt kits being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice regarding the anchoring of the bolts. Beginning to believe my installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.
On Aug 19, 11:47=A0am, " snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com" wrote: Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
----------------------------- The kit usually has an extra (plastic) nuts which you can use to secure the bolt to the flange. It makes life easier because the bolts will not wabble when you try to seat the toilet on the flange. The trick is to make sure that the bolts are spaced correctly to match the toilet holes. This is where you want to try a "dry run" without the wax ring in place. Next, press the wax ring to the bottom of the toilet while the bowl lies sideways then lift it in the air and "plop" it in place. And do ot overtighten the top nuts as you are liable to crack the toilet (as one of my friends recently did at an additional cost of about $175).
" snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com" wrote in news:d955edb5-840a-407a- snipped-for-privacy@a70g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:
Read the other replies and here's a few hints:
Right now, go put a big sign on the toilet that says "Remove Rag from Floor Hole". Do not remove the sign until you are ready to put the toilet back on.
Yes the plastic washers aid it holding the bolt while you drop the toilet back on. Another aid I've used it to take some of the old wax (without the shit on it) and pack the slot full after you put the bolt in the flange.
This one saves my ass only because my ass has been burned in the past. After putting the toilet back on and you are tightening the bolt, you have no idea if the bolt is turning while you are tightening the nut. The head of the bolt is oblong like the flange channel. While tightening, the bolt head and channel can line up and you can't see it. The bolt head can actually pull through some flanges. The result is that the bolt appears to tighten and it does...to the toilet bottom...but it's not pulling the toilet down on the flange.
Before putting the bolts in the flange I take a permanent marker and draw a line on the bolt end where the nut will go on marking the direction of oblong. Once you get the toilet on make sure that all the time you are tightening the nut that the line is perpendicular to the flange slot direction which is usually vertical since the flange slots are on the left and right. The flange slots are like "|" and the bolt head should be like "-". Put the nut on and spin it down. Hold the end of the bolt with a pair of pliers. Don't worry about the thread. It's gonna get whacked off anyway. Keep the marking on the bolt end like "-" at all times.
1) Our 38 year (plastic) floor flange cracked on one side. A metal one might have been better. Fortunately we were able to get at the floor below our basement; so we put longer bolts right through the floor with washers below.
2) We have used stainless bolts nuts and washers and have fewer problems with corrosion. Although I guess all brass is OK. Problems occur when someone puts, say, a steel or nut or washer on a brass toilet hold down bolt and corrosion due to the two metals in contact occurs.
Going to use a waxless seal. I'm convinced the wax melted while we were on vacation....Had no problems before going on vacation (9 days), house was locked up and AC was off. Outdoor temps may have hit the high nineties, indoor, well go figure. Came back from vacation and toilet leaked every time it was flushed. Also, old seal showed signs of "cavaties" around the toilet horn and there were traces of wax all over the floor under the toilet.
This all makes sense to me since the only toilet affected was the one on the second floor (closest to the roof) where temps are the highest during the day. First and ground floor toilets are all fine. No more wax seals here.
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