My American Standard toilet was running constantly, so I replaced the flapper valve and installed a new tank to bowl gasekt while I had it all apart. I put it all back together and when I reinstalled the tank, it had a definite backwards tilt to it. It also has a bit of wobble, but since I didn’t check to see if it wobbled before I did this, I’m not sure if its normal. If I look between the bowl and tank there are two ridges on the bowl side, one in front of the hole (where water moves between halves of the toilet) and one in back. Should the toilet rest on these? They currently don’t and I can’t tighten the wing nuts any tighter by hand and I have a fear of cracking the toilet. I put a few shims on the back so it won’t lean so much. Is that okay? Am I missing something?
jeremy
Replies
You might have lost some little rubber baby buggy bumpers when you pulled it apart. Little cylinders of rubber about 1/2" dia and 3/8" tall.
Edited 8/21/2007 11:10 pm by DanH
The gasket between the bowl and the tank is pretty thick but it is soft. When I install them I put the gasket on the tank first. Then I smear a lube on the gasket. I usually use facet lube because I have it for plumbing.
The tank/bowl bolts and nuts should be brass. This makes it easier to take apart down the road. The bolt on the bottom should be brass and you tighten it with a deep socket wrench. The rubber washers on the inside of the tank under the head of the brass bolts should be fiber re-enforced.
As you are tightening the bolts don't do one all the way. Tighten one and them then other. It helps to hold the tank away form the wall while you are doing this.
The tank should be tightened until it just touches the bowl and stops rocking back and forth.
I think the lube helps the gasket move into the bowl more but it might just be in my head.
I know it seems excessive to tighten these bolts down this much but this is the way it has been done for a long time. Some things in plumbing are funny that way.
If you rock the tank towards one side, and hand tighten the nut, then repeat on the other side, you'll be able to snug the tank up without worrying about cracking anything. The tank should just touch the ridges on the bowl section.
Mike Hennessy
Pittsburgh, PA
Good point Mike. As you are holding the tank out from the wall ( in alignment) you can push down on the side that you are tightening. That way the bolt isn't pulling the tank down as much as it is just holding after it is down.