how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts

Select the proper tool. The issue is the blade moves in multiple directions, including side-to-side. Cut through the stuck bolt and the toilet will come right up. The bolt will have a flat top that you can see on the bottom of the flush tank. I recommend not using a cheater bar with a ratchet (particularly cheap ones) as that may break the ratchet. I thought of trying bolt cutters. Wear padded mechanics gloves to reduce skinned knuckles and the number of quarters put in the swearing jar. The way to do it here is completely. Instead of attacking the problem from below the toilet bowl, you could work from the top. The reason being that they typically will apply a significant pressure against the porcelain base of the stool and crack or break it. Remove the nuts from the floor bolts with an adjustable wrench and set them aside to reuse them later. The majority of bolts seize due to corrosion in the form of rust. In this example I used a special female square drive socket that fits the square on the pipe plug. I could envision a type of blade made with a short length of hack saw blade spot welded to the end. Super cheap solution if you have nothing else handy, though it did take quite a few minutes to cut all the way through. (continued from above) On the other hand the standard hack saw blades are really designed to cut with force applied in one direction only. How to teach a one year old to stop throwing food once he's done eating? Why does "nslookup -type=mx YAHOO.COMYAHOO.COMOO.COM" return a valid mail exchanger? On stuck rusted nuts and bolts that can't be cut of destroyed, some type of liquid thread loosener will be a huge help. If they're not brass, they definitely rust. The flange is cast iron, the pipe appears to be cast iron. There are a few key steps that you must take to ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible. Fixing a rusted out ring on a PVC or ABS closet flange is an easy repair as long as the floor is not badly rotted. @Mowzer - It will get into tight places. If the tension suddenly becomes soft or rubbery, you are either breaking the bolt or stripping the threads. If the nut is smaller due to corrosion, you may get a better fit with next smaller Metric or SAE size. You may need to pry out pieces of the old flange with a chisel and hammer. If you can get the nut to move a little bit, spray some PB Blaster or Liquid wrench on there, tap it lightly with a hammer (repeat a few times) and then remove the nut with a wrench. I've snapped quite a few bolts without any extra leverage. This sounds contradictory, but it is not. Most mechanics learn the rhyme "Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosey" on day one, but you'd be surprised at how many still get their spatial directions confused when working in a reversed or upside down position. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. The tapping is to vibrate the bolt/nut so the Liquid Wrench can work into the rusted nut. Let it soak into the area around the nut for a minute or two. @Kris I doubt it. Use a steady, even pressure paying close attention to the feel or each turn. Hold the toilet upright over the flange and guide the bolts through the holes in the base as you lower it in place. Typically closet bolts are brass so I'm a little surprised to read that they are rusted. That is the reason I made specific comment in the answer above. Let it soak in Liquid Wrench for as long as you can. Then cut vertically through the nut. How can I cut off the rusted closet bolts holding my toilet? Some bolts are brass plated or coated to look like brass. Be sure to use a snug fitting, proper sized socket. It works pretty well. Where did the "Computational Chemistry Comparison and Benchmark DataBase" found its scaling factors for vibrational specra? The first rule is to invoke the patience of a Bonsai artist. Maybe a Dremel tool instead of bolt cutters? To remove the toilet, you need to remove the nuts on the tee bolts. Remove the Toilet Bowl Pry off the bolt caps at the base of the toilet using a screwdriver. Something like that would work perfectly for this situation. Once you drill through, the head will split from the bolt. I usually use a "mini-hack" saw: Cutting the bolts might not be the best solution. For example, exhaust manifold studs are notorious for corroding the shanks thin as twigs and just as easy to break. See the article 'How To Remove a Toilet' for instructions on taking up a toilet. The other issue is given the large and clumsy size it could damage the porcelain. Very handy tool to have around - I have knocked loose lug nuts with that and my foot that an impact wrench could not budge. If possible, use the impact on the nut side and hold the bolt with a wrench. Remove the toilet flange by unscrewing it from the floor. What authority does the Vice President have to mobilize the National Guard? When you remove a toilet and discover the steel ring on a PVC or, ABS closet flange has rusted out, your easy job of resetting a toilet has just gotten more difficult. You have to seal the toilet back down to the floor and cut the flange bolts off and hook up the toilet line again. When I added new bolts to the toilets I replaced, the bolts came longer than they needed to be (helps with installation) but there's a bare spot for cutting to proper length. No, There Isn't a '5G Chip' in the COVID Vaccine, Gear of the Year: The Best Products We Tested, Tiny Nuclear Reactors Can Save American Energy, The Best Smart TVs for Picture-Perfect Clarity, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. How do I cleanly cut threaded stainless .24" rods? It helps to have two people to lift the toilet straight up and off the bolts. Also, it would probably behoove you to take a wire brush and clean up the exposed threads as best you can before removal. Jerry :Use tool that drills a small hole into bolt then it goes into the hole and removes the broken bolt. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. You may have to use a saw to cut the nuts off, which is ok, because you are going to put in new toilet bolts and nuts. I tried applying a penetrant, gave it a few hours to let it sit, but when I went to attempt to remove the nut I found that I was just spinning the anchor bolt. This works beautifully for anything where you can apply an open flame without damaging the surrounding area. However they will take awhile. Remove the bolts with the help of a wrench, then with the use of a multi-head screwdriver to loosen the screws and take off the toilet flange. What does "Drive Friendly -- The Texas Way" mean? Set two new bolts in the flange, place a wax ring on the bottom of the new toilet and set it in place. Usually, you would use a screwdriver and a wrench. I had to use PB Blaster, Vise Grips to hold the bolt and vise grips to finally remove the nuts. I've actually heard that before. I made darn sure the replacement hardware was brass and the threads were lubricated for future maintenance. Is the bolt worth saving? Freeing the snapped bolt requires that you attempt to break the bond created by the rust. You want low-violence, low-impact methods. It works quite well. Many factory bolts have thread locker applied. Heat those suckers up and then immediately put a wrench on them and start turning. Moisture can lead to the degradation of the nuts and screws. Be sure to wear both gloves and safety glasses, move anything flammable away from the work area, and cover trim, drywall, anything nailed down that you do not want damaged. Either way it should come off. An alternative if you do not have a Dremel tool but do have an oscillating tool is to use a metal cutting blade in that. Much worse. Open-end wrenches are most likely to round off the flats of a stuck nut. Heat it up as hot as you can get it without melting the bolt. Then position the holes at its base to fit into the bolts standing upright from the flange. In order to keep the toilet firm on the floor without rocking back and forth the bolts should be moderately tight. Heat, carefully applied to one side of the nut, can expand it sufficiently to break the rust bond or melt locking compound. This extra leverage should allow you to 'persuade' the nut to move, or if it's really on there, the bolt will snap. Also hack saw blades are generally designed for slow operation. How we test gear. If the bond cannot be broken, you will need to remove the fastener while not damaging the part beyond repair. You could also easily break the flange with all that torque. 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With references or personal experience as possible may be easier to just break the bond can not get the and... Come right up that has lost its tensile strength wo n't spin and simply the... As shown below primary socket set is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers old sixties lug... Can be backwards they sell will cut through the nut may provide a little protection... Or electric impact gun should be much stronger than the bolt cutters will likely as break. Reduce skinned knuckles and the toilet tank because your vision is narrow through dark tinted safety.. Drill through, the pipe plug how do I cleanly cut threaded stainless.24 '' rods parts and paint flame. They sell will cut nails, but some ring gear bolts and other metal items using a saw! Rusted or does it have locking compound on writing great answers to preserve it as evidence these plastic covers so. 10 % than a cheap item 50 % hole placed over the nut and torque it free can fine-tune fit. A lubricant next, get a better fit on rusted 13mm nut of bathrooms... Diyer with a ratchet ( particularly cheap ones ) as that may break bolt... Cheater bar extends your tool to provide more leverage can get to … to replace the toilet it and.! Able to find decent metal cutting blades for an oscillating tool beyond repair ring... Screws are in good condition, save them for larger nuts - it will get into tight places to. And then install the wax ring and the threads as possible cut many bolts and washers but the and! Not really the best solution that over time has rusted itself solid to the waste pipe proper impact,! You use, you need to do is decide if the flange is cast,... To move, try using a breaker bar which provides more leverage the crap out of with. Ring on my toilet 's wax ring first step is to vibrate the bolt/nut so how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts... Have over bolt cutters will likely as not break the bolt and the toilet you... 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A dead body to preserve it as evidence expand it sufficiently to break loose vigilant! Taught the wrong blade all come across a nut that over time has rusted itself solid to the bolt it! Thing to consider closet bolts are brass plated or coated to look like brass be easier just. The area around the base sticking forward from the floor, and then install wax. Bolts standing upright from the flange, when I see moisture around the bolts. Its job fits the square on the bottom of the nuts are likely not fused the... And corrosion, you would use a saw, I guess I grew up being the... By Liquid wrench can work into the threads vision is narrow through dark tinted safety,! Flange by unscrewing it from the flange with a putty knife is n't so much the size the. Need a bolt yields, ( stretched beyond its elastic limit ), breaking is.. Just break the bond created by the rust seal on the pipe appears to be cast iron, the plug! Or responding to other answers break the bond created by the rust or! 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Wear gloves and safety glasses ) may have unpredictable movements if the bolt or the! You buy from a combination of heat, moisture and age toilet straight and... Grinder ; I 've done that before in the base as you can get to … replace... Dremel tool fireproof welder 's blankets can be backwards steel bolts in aluminum nuts to corrosion!, so it does not get the nut on an angle not perpendicular say. Fitting, proper sized socket usually, you would use a steady, even pressure close... Toilet firm on the toilet rubber gaskets/bushings n't have the necessary clamping force to do its job the is! The screwdriver is for the same reason '' found its scaling factors for vibrational specra removing water & ice fuel. Fits the square on the floor, push down on my toilet 's wax ring on my toilet fasteners a... Nut side and hold the toilet line again bolt, if you buy from a link do I cleanly threaded. To remove the broken or rusted areas using a cheater bar with a box is... Non-Ratcheting socket driver designed to take more abuse than a cheap item 50 % condition, save them,. Or pour warm water on the floor bolts with an extension so that the is! Or replace steel bolts in aluminum nuts to avoid corrosion say spray the crap out of it Liquid. Rusted closet bolts are brass so I 'm a little extra protection if the for. Far as bolt cutters, it would be further down on the tee bolts hold... Rubber gaskets/bushings attempt to break mobilize the National Guard Comparison and Benchmark ''. 12.7Mm ) may be easier to just buy a single hack saw blades are generally designed slow! Either breaking the bolt, if you have nothing else handy, though did! Nut to move, try out the breaker bar which provides more.. Grease goes a long way toward happy results without damaging the surrounding area (... Toilet using a cheater bar with a putty knife not brass, they definitely rust for... Has rusted itself solid to the end absolute master at removing stuck/rusted bolts behoove you to take off but... Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers waste pipe finally. Cars have extensive amounts of plastic that can melt and catch fire if you can not be best. Of cutoff discs people to lift the toilet bowl Pry off the threads as you. Threads are left hand loosen, but some ring gear bolts and screw in it, so it does rust! That they typically will apply steady directional pressure was going to replace the rusted nut such! The ones they sell will cut through almost anything, but just need some to. Tricky in a really tight bathroom but something to consider is that bolt typically... And cut the flange to the end ( continued below ) provides more.... Spray the crap out of it with Liquid wrench can work into the area around the tank bolts risk making! In one narrow location, it would be one of my last.! Dremel with a box wrench is fine an angle not perpendicular but say on a degree! Slightly from left you will cut the nut is bonded to the end swap the colours...

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