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Over 100,000 Threads 500,000 Plumbing Posts
Plbg.com also known as the PlumbingForum.com. The popular plumbing tips, remodel and advice forum and blog. Ask any toilet, sink, faucet, pump, water quality and plumbing related questions.
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Author:
garth240 (NY)
MY plumber installed new toilets and he said the the tank bolts that came with new toilets were chesy and thn so he used better bolts to secure toilet bowl tank. Is this the normal standand when a licensed plumber install your toilet bown. Will this cause not using original tank bolts that came with toilet bowl
One of the tank bolts on one of the new toilets he installed was wet or seeping water. a little around the washer under the lug nut. I tool a deep socket rachet and tightened the it as it really turned easily. How tight do you make these tank bolts. If It starts leaking i will call back plumber as it seems okay now. I dont want to squash rubber under nolt in tank. just as a follow up to other post
got a 10 inch and it fit grear.
Edited 1 times.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
Leave it alone...you paid for the install, call him back.It's possible to break the tank when over-tightening those bolts.
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Author:
packy
your plumber did the right thing by upgrading the bolts. i'm assuming the factory supplied bolts were plated steel and the plumber used solid brass.
as for tightening them down, they should have been tighter but it sounds like you remedied the situation.
the trick when tightening is to push down firmly on the tank with a block of wood and then tighten each side a little at a time.
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Author:
hj
Usually, when a bolt leaks around the gasket, it is because the installer used a metal washer between the bolt head inside the tank and the rubber washer.
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Author:
garth240 (NY)
I noticed on the 2nd toilet bowl installed I can rock the tank foward and back but it was not leaking. Is tank supposed to move at all. I tightened bolts and tank does not move anymore. Also I noticed rubber on bolt iteslf between bottom of tank does not go all away down to hole on toilet where it mounts to. Does this make a difference as it is not leaking. Can I put a little caulk that part of bolt between rubber and hole in toilet.
On the leaking toilet my plumber did use rubber between the bolt head and toilet. Again tightening right sidebo seems to have stopped leak between washer and lug nut at end ofthe bolt. Note the washer under the lug nut on bottom of bolt toilet is some kind of plastic, not metal.
Spoke to my licensed plumber and asked him why bolts were not tightened and he said he did not want to overtighten and crack toilet. He said itwas tough to use tool that came with toilet. Curious why did he not use a deep socket rachet, as I have whole set in my house. Same plumber put ine kitchen sink and did a perfect job. last year.
This plumber put new kitchen sink and pipes in last year and did a perfect job.
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Author:
packy
i use a nut driver to tighten tank to bowl bolts. i'm afraid of using a deep socket on a wratchet wrench. can't really get a good feel for how tight things are. using a nut driver and pushing down on the tank is as safe as you can get.
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Author:
RWP (SD)
I think , like me, all apprentice plumbers break a bowl or tank while learning. One needs to learn to force gently and tighten just so much. Experience is the only way to learn.
- - - - - - - - - -
Retired after 50 years of plumbing and heating.
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Author:
packy
the only one i ever broke (knock on wood) was in an automotive garage with the mens room temperature about freezing and the toilet was sitting outside in 10 deg weather for a couple of hours.
yeah, quite a job. the wax ring was frozen and i had to practically jump on the bowl to set it. then the freezing cold tank cracked as i GENTLY tightened it.
hj, do you have those troubles?
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Author:
garth240 (NY)
I do have a nut driver. I will use next time.. Meantime everything seems okay and hope it lasts
The american standard 12 inch champion 4 I purchased is wierd campared to the cadet 3 flowise which i also purchased. The champion 4 has a 4 inch opening but the flush is not powerful like the cadet 3 flowise. Water fills up but goes down slowly and the debris just flow into the toilet hole gradually as water goes down. It is a 1.6 liter and american brands told me you have to keep lever down 1 second. Too lateto return. Why did I not ger cadet 3 12 inch also for the 2nd bathroom.
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Author:
hj
Use a "stubby" 3/8" rachet and you will tighten it just right.
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Author:
hj
quote; hj, do you have those troubles?
Not with freezing, except may one or two days every few years or so. I am sure everyone has had a tank or bowl crack while installing them, but I cannot remember the last time it happened.
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Author:
Paul48 (CT)
I know this sounds like word-play, but when attaching the tank to the bowl,I always think "snug". As I was told,"it's water, not acid,you can snug it up a little more if you have a drip".
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