I have a Crane Flormont rear-discharge toilet. After repairing the damaged floor, I find that its outlet is about a half-inch higher than the drainpipe. I haven't been able to get a good seal. Is there a way to deal with this without cutting a trough in the floor? 3-inch fixtures, if that matters.

hard to say without knowing how the flange that is there is attached or if it can be removed and replaced.

an offset flange will give you some adjustment.

see if anything here will help?

[www.google.com]

Thanks for the offset flange tip. I didn't know about them. Unfortunately they're for 4-inch fixtures; both my toilet and drainpipe are 3-inch - and they're for larger offsets, such as 2-inches to adjust between 14 & 12 inch offsets from walls: they envisioned bottom discharge toilets.

I took the screws out of the flange - they weren't stuck - which allowed me to move it the little bit I need to get a fitting. The wall is fiberglass; the flange's screws held it in place in the fiberglass wall. I couldn't get the flange to move by hand. Without the screws, will it eventually detach from the drainpipe? I'll try drilling new holes in the wall to see if I can attach it a bit higher.



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there are plenty of offset flanges made in 3 inch.

if you don't mind shifting the toilet an inch or so to the side, you can rotate the flange so the height you gain will be 1/2 inch.

as for raising the existing flange... if there is any play in the pipe, that will work.

if the glue joint was properly primed and well glued (with fresh glue) then it is about impossible to pull it apart.
if it was poorly glued without primer and the glue used was past its usable stage, then stressing it could lead to problems.
also... if it lifts straight up you can get a good seal but if it tilts as it goes up you will have trouble getting a good seal.
lastly, if you lift the flange, cut away some of the wall below it (it won't be seen as it will be covered by the toilet base) and shim itupwards.

Home Depot has offset flanges from Oatey & Nibco; the websites of both manufacturers have no 3-3 offset flanges. They have 4-3s. Lowe's has Oatey only. PlumbingSupply.com has only 4-3 offset flanges.

The toilet is in a narrow nook: I can't shift it to the side enough to make a difference and it would look odd, clearly no longer centered.

I didn't install the flange. This place was built 42 years ago. As far as I know the flange is original. It's iron, still intact, with just a bit of surface rust. The mounting screws came out easily; 1 lacks a head. Good to know it's glued. If I'm right about the wall, I can just drill new holes.

Thanks for your help.



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It's iron so it is NOT "glued". The "screws" should be attached to the flange, not the wall.

The screws go through the wall, which is fiberglass, which keeps them from moving even when it would be possible for the drainpipe to move. I assume you mean that the screws mount the flange to the drainpipe.

the flange MUST, repeat MUST, be 4-1/8" center above finished floor (or the 'floor' on which the toilet rests)

anything else would be a rube goldberg shoemaker job

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

When I bought the house I didn't pull out the toilet and measure. I didn't even notice it was rear-discharge until I took advantage of a rebate to replace it. It may be a botched job, but it's what I have.

..... now you need to fix it DIY or hire an actual licensed bonded insured plumber .....


... next time: CAVEAT EMPTOR before installing new flooring

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

NO! bolts hold the toilet to the flange.

What type of flooring is it? Maybe you can just outline the toilet base with a sharpie or something, then pull it and chisel out a half inch? Then set it in mortar or grout? And caulk the seam? Until you redo the whole bathroom.

Depending on what you did with the flooring underneath, cutting around the toilet's footprint with a diamond blade, and caulking it in wouldn't look hideous, and only you would know.

Quoth bernabeu: 'CAVEAT EMPTOR before installing new flooring'
What else was I supposed to buy? ('emptor' is Latin for 'buyer'.)

Quoth hj: 'NO! bolts hold the toilet to the flange.'
What I thought. I just wanted to make sure.

Quoth Palm329: 'What type of flooring is it?'
Plywood.

Quoth Palm329: 'Maybe you can just outline the toilet base with a sharpie or something, then pull it and chisel out a half inch?'
This is an irresponsible suggestion. It would compromise the strength of the floor. I just redid the bathroom.

Quoth Paul48: 'Depending on what you did with the flooring underneath, cutting around the toilet's footprint with a diamond blade, and caulking it in wouldn't look hideous, and only you would know.'
This would be irresponsible.

I drilled new holes in the wall and was able to get the flange to sit just enough higher (I think half-inch was an exaggeration; it's more like a quarter-inch, and I needed only an eighth to get a seal.)

The bathroom floor is a quarter-inch thicker than the rest of the house's floor. I guess that they wanted a stronger floor to hold up the tub but forgot to factor it in when they set the drainpipe.

Thanks for all your help.



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when discussing piping misalignment, 1/4" is in a different universe than 1/2"

glad you resolved the issue



==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

If he could even move it 1/4" it must be No-Hub rather than bell and spigot.

hj... its been a while but I have packed and poured many 4 x 4 XH closet flanges.

I'm guessing that even you (with 65 years experience) could not pack and pour a vertical closet flange.

I am ssure someone would say, "Well, you just make a dam all around it with plumber's putty with a "pour spout" for the lead. Then you heat the lead really hot and pour it in.

hj, as columbo says, "I'm gonna write that down".

? sorta like an upside down joint with the 1/8" weep hole for air escape ? which is then caulked closed !?

did ONE, once, on a $20 bet

==============================================

"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

The key word is "ONCE".

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"Measure Twice & Cut Once" - Retired U.A. Local 1 & 638

the problem I see is that there is no pipe sticking out of the flange to wrap a joint runner around.
also, no fair using lead wool.

How do offset flanges work? Do I have to replace the current flange? That's nearly impossible: it's a big hunk of brass part of the drain pipe. If I could mate an offset flange to it then attach a PVC stub and mount a new flange - I can imagine doing that. It doesn't seem like a good idea though. I found some from Oatey at Home Depot so I know what they look like.