Went to install a new toilet on this tile job and one of the bolts in the flange was spining. The other one held fine.
Went and got a 5/16 bolt, but the T-flange was still too short and it would spin.
Tried it in one of the other slots, just to check and it spun in their too.
This is old brass flang with lead pipe bend over the flang. (1970)
I checked at Lowes to see if they have any “special” bolts but did not see any. Tried the bolt with their brass flanges. The same problem.
Too later for a real plumber supply or specialty store (The Plumbers Friend). But I will try those tomorrow.
I looked at a repair flange. But the one that I saw was just a flat plate with screw holes and a keyhole slot for the bolt. But I did not see any kind of flange or grove that would keep the head of the t-bolt from turning. And it would be a pain to install.
But do they make a the bolts with a bigger head. Or one where the top (threaded side) of the t-flange has a projection so that it locks in the slot instead of against the side.
After I got home I was thing that I could use visegrips to hold the bolt after I finger tightened the nut.
That that would make it a pain for the next person.
BTW, the old toilet was a 4 bolters. But they where all corded away.
Replies
Coupe of thoughts
a. old brass flang with lead pipe bend over the flang. (1970)
lead pipe in 1970??? Who built that, musta been somebody like me only born in the mid 1920s vs mid 1940s. Built own house in 1971, and it is all ABS.
b. suggestions- epoxy the bolt head in place with 5 minute epoxy.
or, what I do in some cases like this, is grind a square or a hex on end of the bolt, then start the nut, hold the suare or hex with a small wrenchand tighten the nut. There are some Pizer kitchen faucets have a bolt like this for securing the faucet from underneath, not an original idea, saw it first in a 1917 Mech eng handbook.
"a. old brass flang with lead pipe bend over the flang. (1970)lead pipe in 1970??? Who built that, musta been somebody like me only born in the mid 1920s vs mid 1940s. Built own house in 1971, and it is all ABS. "I was surprised at that also. It is just about 12" long until it turns into CI. But there are is a lead drain from the sink and one from the tub that is "wiped in".Same thing over in the 3/4 master bath.I was expecting boards for the sub-floor. But it was 1/2" ply.The old toilet did not have a wax ring. But it was sealed with what I suspect was plumbers putty. It dry and crumpbly, but too soft for plaster.
"lead pipe in 1970??? Who built that, musta been somebody like me only born in the mid 1920s vs mid 1940s. Built own house in 1971, and it is all ABS"No legal plastic pipe in Manhattan or Brooklyn lead bends rule the day.
The awful thing is that beauty is mysterious as well as terrible. God and the devil are fighting there, and the battlefield is the heart of man.- Fyodor Dostoyevski
Fine hacksaw blade cutting a slot across the top of the bolt for a screwdriver has worked in the past.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. A bird sings because it has a song.
I generally end up hacksawing the bolts through anyway -- you can't reuse them because they're too short after you trim them, so no big deal. But have used a dab of plumber's putty to hold a bolt in place while droping the stool on it.
"That that would make it a pain for the next person."
It's not like I've pulled hundreds of toilets, but I've pulled a few dozen.
I don't even try to remove the nut anymore. I get the dremel and I cut it off. Saves a ton of time.
And when I install, I cut the bolt down so the cap can cover it.
From where I'm sitting, visegrip it all you want.
Rich Beckman
Another day, another tool.
Hope you leave enough of the bolt to grab for the next guy that has to service the thing.
be wondering why there isn't mouse flavored cat food.
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. A bird sings because it has a song.
....or sh!t flavored dog food.
Snort
A bird does not sing because it has an answer. A bird sings because it has a song.
"Hope you leave enough of the bolt to grab for the next guy that has to service the thing."Why??If the bolt isn't spinning (the vast majority of the time), then all the next guy needs is to grab the nut and turn it.If the bolt is spinning, what good is something for the next guy to grab...that will just damage the threads and then he still ends up cutting the nut.And if I'm the next guy, I'll just be getting out the Dremel right away. I'll put five seconds into seeing if that thing wants to come off or not.Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
And if I'm the next guy, I'll just be getting out the Dremel right away. I'll put five seconds into seeing if that thing wants to come off or not.
If you want to be a nice guy to the next guy, just leave enough of the closet bolt protruding past the end of the nut to loosen it a little. It's easier to cut though the bolt itself (between the nut and the toilet) than to try and cut through the nut AND bolt.
I've usually used a recip saw the cut the bolt, but I like the dremel idea better. Which metal cutting attachment do you use?
-Don
I use the cut off wheels. There are also heavy duty cut off wheels.I usually go though a couple of them (OK, three or four) per bolt. They shatter easily (and it's not like I hole the thing rock steady).The heavy duty ones are slightly less likely to shatter, but not less enough to be worth the extra money.Despite the shattering wheels, I still find it to be the fastest (and safest for the porcelain!) method.
Rich BeckmanAnother day, another tool.
Unless everybody on this post is throwing the toilet bolt caps away you have to cut them close to flush with the top of the nut to install.
"If you don't have time to do it right, where will you find the time to do it over?"
Edited 9/7/2006 11:18 am ET by Shacko
Heck, I just throw a rebar guard on the bolt!
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Joke, I hope!"If you don't have time to do it right, where will you find the time to do it over?"
Cut them or grind them. Either way, protect the porceline using tape, or I often shroud the area with a damp cloth to help prevent distorting the seal from the heat. May be overly cautious, but better that than to find out later the wax melted down the pipe from the heated bolt...
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
what are those white things for i have about 30 of them in my tool box?just kidding by the time i've been making love to a toilet for a hour i could care less about those white caps.next week the renters kid will flush another toy and i'll just have to take them off. larryhand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.
I can see your point, but I work in new construction and if they are not on they become part of the punch-out list. Lots of luck.
I really like the nylon closet bolts. The heads are shaped and shouldered to prevent spinning. Also, they will break before you can over tighten the nut and crack the toilet.
Haven seen any of those.Plenty of plastic toilet seat bolts, but no closet bolts.
I like to use a thin nut to hold the bolts in place before you set the toilet over them. This also locks the bolt so it can't spin.
One thing I'd forgotten about is that a couple of times I've found bolts that came with plastic or brass speednuts that you push down over the top of the bolt after putting it in the slot. These help a lot when trying to place the stool and tighten the bolt, and the brass ones would almost have enough purchase to keep the bolts from spinning.Can never find them when I want them, though.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
All of them that I have seen recently have had the plastic "speed nuts" on them.Great for positioning them. But not enough power to keep from spining.
One time when one was giving me fits I actually went and got some steel speed nuts at a HW store. I figured sure they'd rust, but not until after they'd done the job.
If Tyranny and Oppression come to this land, it will be in the guise of fighting a foreign enemy. --James Madison
Every once in a while I'll resort to stainless steel anchor bolts, I order them from McFeeleys. Double nut the bolt and screw it in, provided you have a solid subfloor. Not the ideal solution, but at least it won't rust.
"I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." Invictus, by Henley.
OK I just glanced over the rest of the 16 posts.
Let me get this straight----- installing new toilet over old flange & nut will spin the bolt so it can't tighten right?
So the flanged end is not locking into the flange right?
This would be a classic spot for double nutting.
Place closet bolt into flange slide on a brass or ss fender washer screw down a nut & tighten, repeat with otherside, then install toilet viola.
"I'm here to chew bubble gum & kick azz, & I'm all out of bubble gum" Rowdy Roddy Piper
Knew there had to be an easy, simple way.
"It's always better to have regrets for things you've done than for things you wish you had done..........."
"Place closet bolt into flange slide on a brass or ss fender washer screw down a nut & tighten, repeat with otherside, then install toilet viola."That is what I did, less washer. Only needed to do it on the one side as the other held.Did not know if there was room enough for the nut or not. But I cleaned off the old (new) seal and tried it and it did not high center.I was prepared with two nuts on the top of the stud so that I could lock then and have some way to keep the stud from turning as I tightened up the nut on the top of the flange.But the up force from the nut was enough for the stud flange to dig in and it did not turn.