Toilet repair

[Davey]

Hopefully somebody here can help me. I have an old toilet, close-coupled, Armitage Shanks Model 17010, Concave Front. It is listed as too old for Support. It flushes reluctantly, so I want to just replace the gubbins, but I'm not sure what kit to buy, to be sure that it will fit first time. I don't want anything like the American rotting-flapper devices, but a proper replacement for what is there now, but past its best. I've done plenty of Searching, with no conclusions. Any help welcomed.

[Davey]

That's my kind of spending! Thanks. Now to set aside a time to take it apart. Is there a 'How-to' available, or is it just 'take things apart following a natural progression, starting underneath'?

[Bob Minchin]

Don't do it on a weekend! Bound to hit a snag or need a left handed do-dah and your really need a proper plumbers merchant to be open as the sheds are useless IME.

Bob

[Davey]

Thanks for the advice and instructions. I agree, for the sake of a few quid, it makes sense to get new parts. In this case, there is no individual shut-off for the supply, but it is right after the house water softener, so I will shut off the house supply to do the work.=20 I see various models, 7.5", 8" etc, where is this measured, so I know which one to get? Is it the rise of the lifter? If my local place has these parts, and I know it has the gasket kit and 'some' flush kits, then I'll get them there, otherwise online is the best way.

--=20 Davey.

[Davey]

snip

We don't use margarine in this house, so any such would be a specific purchase. What is vitalite, for for goodness' sake?

snip

That's easy for you to say, but this is new territory for me. The horrid US ones, I know about, but not these. =20

--=20 Davey.

[george ~ dicegeorge]

xxxxxx

First thing is to put in one of those little inline shutoff thingys, a few quid. Then youc an have your house working whilst you fiddle about.

[g]

[Davey]

Yes, I had thought about that. I can see why there isn't one already, it's called "lack of space"!

[Davey]

Got as far as 3. One nut, hex, is rusted solid, but the whole thing turns. The other, a wingnut, also rusted, won't do anything, especially since one wing broke off. Now to find a suitable tool to do the angle-grinder thing. Tool needs to be very narrow, due to the toilet being close-coupled in more ways than just the cistern's description.

1. is easy, 2 not very tight screws. Also found a video online that shows what you wrote, but his battery angle-grinder wouldn't fit in my space.

--=20 Davey.

[NT]

Sounds like a die grinder job.

NT

[Davey]

Got the thing apart, found said diaphragm, which looks fine. Soft thin, but complete, disc of rubber. Now confused as to why it doesn't work. Do I replace it with a piece of very flexible something (margarine lids would be far, far stiffer than what's there), it is clearly meant to flex, as underneath is a framed mesh support for when it goes back down again? It has no holes in it, nor tears.=20

--=20 Davey.