The toilet bolts are located on either side of the bowl. Once you have removed all rusted bolts, you need to replace new bolts there to seal the tank and get everything fine. If it rocks a little give each nut one more 1/4 turn. Additionally, Toilethaven.com participates in various other affiliate programs, and we sometimes get a commission through purchases made through our links. Leaking Toilet Tank Bolts. The best way to tighten toilet bolts is to initially hand tight them until snug, then use the wrench to give each nut a ¼ turn. If the bolts and nuts are rusted or are spinning and won’t come off, use a mini hacksaw to cut the nuts off being careful not to cut the toilet. Take a screwdriver and the wrench to fit the new bolts. For aesthetic reasons, cover the toilet bolts with a plastic cap matching the color of the toilet. Installing the tank bolts can be done in a variety of ways. If it feels tight then it is good. They can be a huge time killer and a drain your momentum. Just pull it and it will come off. You can select the one which fits your needs. Throwing in my $0.02.. Using rubber/plastic washers also helps to absorb the shock and prevent the porcelain from cracking. Use your right hand to tighten the nut with an adjustable wrench. The rust can cause the washers to move from their correct location and can cause leakage from the bowl. Metal blades for reciprocating saws come in different lengths. This is a braided line that is connected from the shut off valve to the toilet tank. Step 3: Replace the Toilet Tank Bolts. Your toilet will either be a one-piece toilet or a two-piece toilet. There will be times when you open the tank and the tops of the bolts are swollen and blistered. The best way to do this is tightening alternatingly to make sure your toilet is level. bolts. Use a toilet brush and cleaner to clean the inside of the bowl. Replace the toilet tank atop the bowl and align the shank of the bolts with the holes in the bowl. Many a DIYer has found out the hard way that tightening the nuts too enthusiastically can result in a chipped or broken toilet. And number 2, be sure not to overtighten the nuts. How to Replace Toilet Seat? Most of the time, the original bolts remain in place, even during wax ring changes. It will either be 10, 12 or 13 inches. During installation learn also how to install a toilet tank, toilet tank bolts and spud washer here. You should also confirm if the bolt holes line up in a perfect position. The reason is that you have to remove the toilet tank bolts to access it, and since you are already replacing the bolts, you’re already replacing the bolts, you basically already more than 95% there. The age of the toilet components, as well as water conditions, can factor into how easy the bolts will be to remove. https://www.renos4prosandjoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/renos-4-pros-and-joes-logo.png, https://www.renos4prosandjoes.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/how-to-replace-toilet-tank-bolts.jpg, Best Orbital Sander – Written After Extensive Use, Best Paint Tool for Edging (and How to Use it). Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. While removing the one-piece toilet, you have no alternative but to remove in one go. Great to replace old rusted out tank bolts. Toilet flanges are made of either PVC, copper, and iron. The connection points between a toilet tank and bowl create an important seal, keeping water from leaking out of the unit as it passes from the tank to the bowl. Once the water has drained, unscrew the old handle. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, there are a couple of rules to follow. Stay positive and let work through it. Here is what to do: Hold the top of the bolt with a vice grip or pliers with your left hand. If you have the opportunity to start on this early in the day you should. You will need more space to work with the bolt cutters. If the toilet is older, you likely ruined the anchor bolts getting the nuts loose. Open the shut off valve and let the water fill the tank. Wax rings are not reusable. If it wobbles a little give each nut another ¼ turn. Hold the toilet bowl on both sides with your hands and rock it a little to fully engage the wax ring. This is because not only we should be careful not to harm the toilet bowl when removing the bolts, we should also be cautious when removing and replacing the bolts if they are rusted. Each professional has their own preference as to how this should be accomplished. It will be tempting to do it, but you may be creating a problem for yourself in the future. The majority of toilets are made of two parts: the tank and the bowl. Toto S550e vs S500e Washlets- Which Should You Buy? Flush the toilet and hold the flush handle down to remove as much water as possible. Place a rubber washer onto each of the tank bolts and push each tank bolt through the bottom holes of tank. Replace the bolt caps. It will literally take you 30 more seconds to replace the toilet tank gasket, and it could save you from having to remove the toilet tank bolts in the near future in order to replace it. This is pretty straight forward. Rusted bolts can be one of the most frustrating aspects of working on and repairing toilets. Toilethaven.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. While replacing them, make sure that the rubber washers are the ones in contact with the body of the tank. When you need to replace the tank, drain and unscrew the old one to remove it. After a period of time, toilet bolts become corroded or loose and cannot anchor the toilet bowl like before, making it to start wobbling/rocking. Bolts can be cut off, If needed after you install seat for an exact fit. You probably haven't spent a lot of time admiring the design of your toilet, but when water is leaking all over the floor, it's time to take note. Now that you have finally removed the old toilet tank bolts, you can install the new ones. You can find the toilet handles and levers you need at Lowe’s to replace old or damaged ones to regain a proper flush. There can be some trial and error when doing plumbing repairs, and it would be a real inconvenience if you discover that you don’t have exactly what you need to finish, and the hardware supply store has closed. You don’t want the blade hitting or impacting against the inside of the porcelain tank as its cutting. The mini hack saw is a manual hand tool that you operate with one hand. Connect the water supply line back to the toilet tank. Replace Toilet Tank Bolts, especially Rusted Bolts. Remove the toilet tank lid and place it in a safe place where it cannot crack. The time may one day come when you need to replace leaking toilet tank bolts; so, you should bookmark this article and keep it handy. Ensure the gasket on the tank rests on the big hole behind the bowl. Replace the washers and nut on the second bolt in the same order. This helps to create a water tight seal and also absorbs shock in case you tighten the bolts therefore preventing it from cracking. For reinforced connection: Under the tank place metal washers onto bolt threads extending down from under the tank and hand tighten the thin hex nuts to toilet tank. If you follow any of the above methods, now you have removed the bolts of the toilet seat. To replace toilet bolts you will first need to turn off water to the toilet then drain the tank and the bowl. Read more for Fluidmaster’s recommended installation and to see a diagram of the recommended installation. However, you will have to be more careful with the saw to ensure that you do not damage the toilet. In this case you will need to replace the toilet bolts. The reason is once you loosen the bolts at the bottom of the tank, the rusty water is going to run out on the floor, so the more water you can eliminate, the smaller mess you should make. WD-40 to Clean a Toilet? Prepare for a hand, forearm and chest workout. My husband has replace all the guts and put the new gasket on the outside bottom of the tank. Toilet flange extender – if the existing flange is glued to the drainpipe; Bolts – buy some new toilet flange bolts so that they can be replaced with old … Remove the old toilet bolts and trash them. Loosen the bolts with a wrench, rock the toilet about then lift it off and lay it on its side. One-piece toilets have the tank and the bowl made as one body while in a two-piece toilet the bowl and the tank are two pieces joint together with bolts. Step 8: Put the New Tank on the Toilet. Replace the bolts and the wax ring. Which blade you choose will depend on the space you have in the tank and around the bolt as well as personal preference. To make positioning a toilet easier, new toilet bolts are extra long. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. If you have access to a reciprocating saw, this method is going to be much faster than using a hacksaw. Plug off the drain pipe with the old rag/towel to prevent sewer gases from coming up into the house. Amazon and Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. The coupling to the toilet tank is supposed to be hand tight and you should not use a wrench on it. Or it simply could be a faulty handle. Bolt cutters work using compression strength. Once you have the blade seated against the bolt start off slow so that your saw blade is under control. A 4-bolt toilet is old, so you may encounter problems such as corrosion and rot. Before you start working with rusted bolts, or any bolts for that matter, you should have already turned off the water supply, drained the water from the bowl and soaked up as much residual water at the bottom of the bowl as possible. You will need a metal blade attachment to cut through the bolt. You and your helper can now raise the toilet tank back over the toilet bowl housing and reseat the bolts and central tank … Other times you may get unlucky and have the joy of removing the tank. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. An inexpensive set of handheld bolt cutters are going to cost you more than a mini hacksaw, but far less than a reciprocating saw. It is … **Toilet anchor bolts**, also called _closet bolts_ or _flange bolts_, secure the base of the toilet to the floor. Flush the toilet a couple of times to make sure the wax ring is not leaking. Once you have the hacksaw in place begin moving the tool back and forth until you are able to cut through the bolt. The age of the toilet components, as well as water conditions, can factor into how easy the bolts will be to remove. When the toilet is free, lift it off and place it on its side on the newspapers. These cookies do not store any personal information. Made of durable plastic and rubber, built to last. At the bottom of the toilet tank there is some water left. You will have to use your hand strength on this one and it may take both hands and multiple attempts to cut all the way through the stem on the bolt. The most ideal scenario to use bolt cutters would be when the nut has unscrewed enough to become loose, but won’t come off any further. Tanks are sold separately from the bowls, so you can get any tank that fits onto your model of toilet. Before we jump into the different ways to remove rusted bolts, please note that now will also be a great time to examine and replace your toilet tank gasket if necessary. Other times you may get unlucky and have the joy of removing the tank. Pick the best bolts for the toilet tank from any store. To replace toilet bolts you will first need to turn off water to the toilet then drain the tank and the bowl. Sometimes when you try to tighten the toilet bolts they can start spinning which means you can’t tighten them. Add a new metal washer to secure the tank to the toilet bowl housing. The 5 Best Woodbridge Toilets – Sleek and Powerful Flushing, The 5 Best Toto Washlets – Features and Comparisons. In order to remove the toilet tank bolts, you will need a flat head screwdriver and a wrench. But first connect the water line, flush the toilet a couple of times and check for leaks. First, drain the water out of the toilet tank so you have room to work. In this scenario, you are going to have to work a little harder to remove the bolts. If the rusted bolt fits tight against the bottom of the tank, you may have cut through the rubber washer in order to access the bolt. If you have to take it up for another reason then it makes sense to replace the anchor bolts. Bolt cutters can also be the solution to removing a rusted tank bolt. 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