Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the nuts
that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became loose in the
flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a slot in the top
and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt while turning the
nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring. I see bolt kits
being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice
regarding the anchoring of the bolts. Beginning to believe my
installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.

On Aug 19, 12:47*pm, " wrote:
Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the nuts
that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became loose in the
flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a slot in the top
and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt while turning the
nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring. I see bolt kits
being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice
regarding the anchoring of the bolts. Beginning to believe my
installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.

The bolts fit into slots in the flange on the top of the drain stack.
They should not be attached to the flooring.

On Aug 19, 12:47 pm, " wrote:
I see bolt kits
being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice
regarding the anchoring of the bolts.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Closet_flange

Beginning to believe my
installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.

Sounds like it. Closet flanges have "key" slots. You put the bolt
head in the big part and slide it into the smaller part which retains
it.
-----

- gpsman

These bolts in the fron of the toilet?
wrote in message
...
Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the nuts
that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became loose in the
flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a slot in the top
and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt while turning the
nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring. I see bolt kits
being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice
regarding the anchoring of the bolts. Beginning to believe my
installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.

On Aug 19, 11:47*am, " wrote:
Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring.
-----------------------------
The kit usually has an extra (plastic) nuts which you can use to
secure the bolt to the flange. It makes life easier because the bolts
will not wabble when you try to seat the toilet on the flange. The
trick is to make sure that the bolts are spaced correctly to match the
toilet holes. This is where you want to try a "dry run" without the
wax ring in place. Next, press the wax ring to the bottom of the
toilet while the bowl lies sideways then lift it in the air and "plop"
it in place. And do ot overtighten the top nuts as you are liable to
crack the toilet (as one of my friends recently did at an additional
cost of about $175).

" wrote in news:d955edb5-840a-407a-
:

Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the nuts
that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became loose in the
flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a slot in the top
and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt while turning the
nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring. I see bolt kits
being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice
regarding the anchoring of the bolts. Beginning to believe my
installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.

Read the other replies and here's a few hints:

Right now, go put a big sign on the toilet that says "Remove Rag from
Floor Hole". Do not remove the sign until you are ready to put the toilet
back on.

Yes the plastic washers aid it holding the bolt while you drop the toilet
back on. Another aid I've used it to take some of the old wax (without
the **** on it) and pack the slot full after you put the bolt in the
flange.

This one saves my ass only because my ass has been burned in the past.
After putting the toilet back on and you are tightening the bolt, you
have no idea if the bolt is turning while you are tightening the nut. The
head of the bolt is oblong like the flange channel. While tightening, the
bolt head and channel can line up and you can't see it. The bolt head can
actually pull through some flanges. The result is that the bolt appears
to tighten and it does...to the toilet bottom...but it's not pulling the
toilet down on the flange.

Before putting the bolts in the flange I take a permanent marker and draw
a line on the bolt end where the nut will go on marking the direction of
oblong. Once you get the toilet on make sure that all the time you are
tightening the nut that the line is perpendicular to the flange slot
direction which is usually vertical since the flange slots are on the
left and right. The flange slots are like "|" and the bolt head should be
like "-". Put the nut on and spin it down. Hold the end of the bolt with
a pair of pliers. Don't worry about the thread. It's gonna get whacked
off anyway. Keep the marking on the bolt end like "-" at all times.

On Aug 20, 12:40*am, Red Green wrote:
" wrote in news:d955edb5-840a-407a-
:

Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the nuts
that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became loose in the
flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a slot in the top
and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt while turning the
nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am wondering what is the
best way to anchor the bolt heads in the flooring. I see bolt kits
being sold along with wax rings but am yet to come across advice
regarding the anchoring of the bolts. Beginning to believe my
installation was somewhat unconventional based on what I see.

Read the other replies and here's a few hints:

Right now, go put a big sign on the toilet that says "Remove Rag from
Floor Hole". Do not remove the sign until you are ready to put the toilet
back on.

Yes the plastic washers aid it holding the bolt while you drop the toilet
back on. Another aid I've used it to take some of the old wax (without
the **** on it) and pack the slot full after you put the bolt in the
flange.

This one saves my ass only because my ass has been burned in the past.
After putting the toilet back on and you are tightening the bolt, you
have no idea if the bolt is turning while you are tightening the nut. The
head of the bolt is oblong like the flange channel. While tightening, the
bolt head and channel can line up and you can't see it. The bolt head can
actually pull through some flanges. The result is that the bolt appears
to tighten and it does...to the toilet bottom...but it's not pulling the
toilet down on the flange.

Before putting the bolts in the flange I take a permanent marker and draw
a line on the bolt end where the nut will go on marking the direction of
oblong. Once you get the toilet on make sure that all the time you are
tightening the nut that the line is perpendicular to the flange slot
direction which is usually vertical since the flange slots are on the
left and right. The flange slots are like "|" and the bolt head should be
like "-". Put the nut on and spin it down. Hold the end of the bolt with
a pair of pliers. Don't worry about the thread. It's gonna get whacked
off anyway. Keep the marking on the bolt end like "-" at all times.

Two things.
1) Our 38 year (plastic) floor flange cracked on one side. A metal one
might have been better. Fortunately we were able to get at the floor
below our basement; so we put longer bolts right through the floor
with washers below.
2) We have used stainless bolts nuts and washers and have fewer
problems with corrosion. Although I guess all brass is OK. Problems
occur when someone puts, say, a steel or nut or washer on a brass
toilet hold down bolt and corrosion due to the two metals in contact
occurs.

terry wrote in
:

On Aug 20, 12:40*am, Red Green wrote:
" wrote in
news:d955edb5-840a-407a-
:

Our toilet seal started to leak recently and while removing the
nuts that hold down the toilet, one of the rusted bolts became
loose in the flooring. Had to use WD-40 and a hacksaw to create a
slot in the top and use a flat head screw driver to hold the bolt
while turning the nut. Going to replace both bolts and nuts but am
wondering what is the best way to anchor the bolt heads in the
flooring. I see bolt kits being sold along with wax rings but am
yet to come across advice regarding the anchoring of the bolts.
Beginning to believe my installation was somewhat unconventional
based on what I see.

Read the other replies and here's a few hints:

Right now, go put a big sign on the toilet that says "Remove Rag from
Floor Hole". Do not remove the sign until you are ready to put the
toilet back on.

Yes the plastic washers aid it holding the bolt while you drop the
toilet back on. Another aid I've used it to take some of the old wax
(without the **** on it) and pack the slot full after you put the
bolt in the flange.

This one saves my ass only because my ass has been burned in the
past. After putting the toilet back on and you are tightening the
bolt, you have no idea if the bolt is turning while you are
tightening the nut. The head of the bolt is oblong like the flange
channel. While tightening, the bolt head and channel can line up and
you can't see it. The bolt head can actually pull through some
flanges. The result is that the bolt appears to tighten and it
does...to the toilet bottom...but it's not pulling the toilet down on
the flange.

Before putting the bolts in the flange I take a permanent marker and
draw a line on the bolt end where the nut will go on marking the
direction of oblong. Once you get the toilet on make sure that all
the time you are tightening the nut that the line is perpendicular to
the flange slot direction which is usually vertical since the flange
slots are on the left and right. The flange slots are like "|" and
the bolt head should be like "-". Put the nut on and spin it down.
Hold the end of the bolt with a pair of pliers. Don't worry about the
thread. It's gonna get whacked off anyway. Keep the marking on the
bolt end like "-" at all times.

Two things.
1) Our 38 year (plastic) floor flange cracked on one side. A metal one
might have been better. Fortunately we were able to get at the floor
below our basement; so we put longer bolts right through the floor
with washers below.
2) We have used stainless bolts nuts and washers and have fewer
problems with corrosion. Although I guess all brass is OK. Problems
occur when someone puts, say, a steel or nut or washer on a brass
toilet hold down bolt and corrosion due to the two metals in contact
occurs.



2) We have used stainless bolts nuts and washers and have fewer
problems with corrosion.

I bet you would have even fewer problems with new stainless bolts nuts
and washers. Are they that expensive? :-)

Thanks. Unfortunately, this floor flange isn't like the one in the
Wikipedia link. Long story short, I'm going to mill slots in the new
bolts.


On Aug 19, 12:58*pm, gpsman wrote:
Sounds like it. Closet flanges have "key" slots. You put the bolt
head in the big part and slide it into the smaller part which retains
it.

Going to use a waxless seal. I'm convinced the wax melted while we
were on vacation....Had no problems before going on vacation (9 days),
house was locked up and AC was off. Outdoor temps may have hit the
high nineties, indoor, well go figure. Came back from vacation and
toilet leaked every time it was flushed. Also, old seal showed signs
of "cavaties" around the toilet horn and there were traces of wax all
over the floor under the toilet.

This all makes sense to me since the only toilet affected was the one
on the second floor (closest to the roof) where temps are the highest
during the day. First and ground floor toilets are all fine. No more
wax seals here.


On Aug 19, 8:07*pm, wrote:
-----------------------------
The kit usually has an extra (plastic) nuts which you can use to
secure the bolt to the flange. *It makes life easier because the bolts
will not wabble when you try to seat the toilet on the flange. *The
trick is to make sure that the bolts are spaced correctly to match the
toilet holes. *This is where you want to try a "dry run" without the
wax ring in place. *Next, press the wax ring to the bottom of the
toilet while the bowl lies sideways then lift it in the air and "plop"
it in place. *And do ot overtighten the top nuts as you are liable to
crack the toilet (as one of my friends recently did at an additional
cost of about $175).