If you cannot get the nut to move, try using a breaker bar which provides more leverage. Can you legally move a dead body to preserve it as evidence? This can be softened with heat. [ 1 Answers ] I have a toilet flange on a 4" cast iron pipe (c. 1955) that has rusted away to the extent that the flange lip has broken away, so the toilet bolts have nothing to hold on to. The ones they sell will cut nails, but not hardened screws. What does "Drive Friendly -- The Texas Way" mean? Remove the plastic caps that are covering the bolts on either side of the toilet. Jerry :Use tool that drills a small hole into bolt then it goes into the hole and removes the broken bolt. Use locking pliers on J-nuts so they won't spin and simply break the bolt and discard. I've done that before in the same situation. As with all projects, assess the situation and plan carefully using the following tips and tricks. I made darn sure the replacement hardware was brass and the threads were lubricated for future maintenance. Throw away the old toilet bolts and clean all the old wax with a putty knife. Breaking a blind stud could mean hours of drilling out the busted shank. Drive the screws into the holes to secure the flange to the floor, and then install the wax ring and the toilet. The way to do it here is completely. @Mowzer start cutting the nut on an angle not perpendicular but say on a 45 degree. With any luck, The heat has broken the rust seal on the bolt allowing it to turn. Much worse. An alternative if you do not have a Dremel tool but do have an oscillating tool is to use a metal cutting blade in that. If the nut is bonded to the bolt, you will need more serious techniques. You can use a dremel to cut it off, but a simpler option would be to drill in the center of the bolt head with a drill bit larger than the bolt diameter. There are a few key steps that you must take to ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible. Check the condition of the toilet flange to see if it is broken or loose. I always thought my breaker bar was just a wrench with a long handle. My Dad swears by Liquid Wrench and he is an absolute master at removing stuck/rusted bolts. Closet bolts are typically made of brass which does not rust. Both of them apply little enough force that they are unlikely to crack the toilet when they slip. Many times it … My usual course of action involves using a Dremel with a cutoff wheel as @ Michael Karas has suggested. I made your question focus on the problem (cutting rusted closet bolts) instead of your suggested solution (bolt cutters), which avoids the. After putting on disposable gloves and scraping away the old wax ring with a putty knife, slip the old anchor bolts out of the flange slots. On the other hand ... (continued below). Before attempting to remove the bolts, I recommend spraying them with a product such as Penetrating Blaster. No, There Isn't a '5G Chip' in the COVID Vaccine, Gear of the Year: The Best Products We Tested, Tiny Nuclear Reactors Can Save American Energy, The Best Smart TVs for Picture-Perfect Clarity, This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. Many factory bolts have thread locker applied. Home Improvement Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for contractors and serious DIYers. These nuts-bolts attach the toilet to the flange. This extra leverage should allow you to 'persuade' the nut to move, or if it's really on there, the bolt will snap. To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers. The majority of bolts seize due to corrosion in the form of rust. Note: Most threads are left hand loosen, but some ring gear bolts and old sixties Chrysler lug nuts can be backwards. What is the smallest size of bolt cutters that can reliably cut those closet bolts holding down the toilet to the floor? Dremel moto-tool, a steady hand, goggles, and plenty of cutoff discs. Get ready to see sparks fly, literally. I use the dremel all the time in this situation even though I have a minihacksaw and the oscillating tool - the dremel is it. I'd recommend that tool set, but you can probably get a deep socket on there as well which would be a big help. The reason being that they typically will apply a significant pressure against the porcelain base of the stool and crack or break it. Let it soak in Liquid Wrench for as long as you can. Smaller fasteners such as body bolts and screws often can't be saved. Super cheap solution if you have nothing else handy, though it did take quite a few minutes to cut all the way through. Most mechanics learn the rhyme "Righty-Tighty, Lefty-Loosey" on day one, but you'd be surprised at how many still get their spatial directions confused when working in a reversed or upside down position. In my case the entire bolt was spinning so a ratchet was useless. Freeing the snapped bolt requires that you attempt to break the bond created by the rust. Toilets are fragile. You will be far better off using a mini hand hacksaw as shown in another answer or a Dremel tool with a grinding wheel cutoff blade. Cut the nuts off exhaust fasteners with an abrasive wheel mounted on a die grinder. A grinder or Dremel will apply steady directional pressure. taproot.com/content/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/…. Immediately the toilet lands on the flange, you should push it down firmly next to the back of the bowl rim to change the shape of the wax ring, and seal the attachment. By moving slightly from left you will cut the nut and not hit the porcelain. I was going to replace the bolts and washers but the nuts are completely seized and rusted to the bolts. It might be tricky in a really tight bathroom but something to consider. @Mowzer - It will get into tight places. Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! It helps to have two people to lift the toilet straight up and off the bolts. Replace the toilet You may need to pry out pieces of the old flange with a chisel and hammer. Take a length of pipe a foot-and-a-half or so and place if over the handle. Or is there another tool I can use? How do I cleanly cut threaded stainless .24" rods? How did SNES render more accurate perspective than PS1? (Whenever I'm planning on disassembling a rusted part I try to Liquid Wrench/PB Blaster it for DAYS leading up to the actual "work"), When you go to put everything back together, obviously use stainless steel or brass hardware if it's new, but also definitely coat the bolt threads with some Anti-seize. Perhaps you should try heating the bolts up with a blow torch. My primary socket set is a fantastic Craftsman set with hollow centers. Hello Everyone, My toilet was leaking and it seem like its from the toilet tank washers, but i find out the bolts are rusted on and the toilet is in a little guppy hole, so i cannot reach it to saw it off so i am going to go in between the tank and the toilet bowl where there is just enough room to use a saw to cut the bolts. Wear padded mechanics gloves to reduce skinned knuckles and the number of quarters put in the swearing jar. If the flange is really stubborn, it can help to cut it into pieces with a Dremel tool. I suppose if it's PVC, that could be a concern. Remove the heat and let cool or pour warm water on the bolt to speed up cooling. Thanks +1. You will need to cut it in two places (preferably where you can access it with a flat tip screw driver 180 out from each other). I need to change the wax ring on my toilet. Why does "nslookup -type=mx YAHOO.COMYAHOO.COMOO.COM" return a valid mail exchanger? How to label resources belonging to users in a two-sided marketplace? Remove the Toilet Bowl Pry off the bolt caps at the base of the toilet using a screwdriver. a breaker bar is a non-ratcheting socket driver designed to take more abuse than a ratchet. Forget the bolt cutters - dremel is more useful and every bit as fast on these. Hold the toilet upright over the flange and guide the bolts through the holes in the base as you lower it in place. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. site design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. I could envision a type of blade made with a short length of hack saw blade spot welded to the end. Take a length of pipe a foot-and-a-half or so and place if over the handle. Cutting them is slow without a power tool but worth it if it spares the flange. Next, get a socket wrench and pick the smallest socket that will fit over the nut and torque it free. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io, 100 Items You Should Reuse Instead of Throw Out, Start Gardening Early By Building This Cold Frame, Don't Toss That X-Mas Tree: Let's Make Something. Remove the plastic cap over the stuck bolt, if you haven't already. The bolt will have a flat top that you can see on the bottom of the flush tank. For example, exhaust manifold studs are notorious for corroding the shanks thin as twigs and just as easy to break. Put the toilet on the flange. As luck would have it a lot of homes here in South Carolina USA have pvc flanges. A home brew concoction of 50 percent Acetone and 50 percent ATF may work well in some cases, but be mindful of the fumes. Heat those suckers up and then immediately put a wrench on them and start turning. After you cut into both sides (you only need most of the way about 80-85% or so)- cut one side a bit wider (or use a wider cutting wheel) so you can - insert your screw driver into the cut out . I have one toilet with (thankfully) cosmetic damage from where I tried to cut a bolt using a reciprocating saw. Swap the two colours around in an image in Photoshop CS6. I prefer using a very small oxyacetylene tip to concentrate heat in a tight area, but an inexpensive hardware store hand held propane torch can suffice if you have the room. @jmarkmurphy Reciprocating saw will cut through almost anything, but is not delicate enough for this task. Are you turning it the correct way? Whatever brand you use, you may need to repeat applications and possibly soak overnight. Need help removing bolt and nuts from a mailbox. Resist the temptation to force something that shouldn't be forced. Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. You can remove the water from the tank by turning the water off and flushing, then soak up the water left over in … Moisture can lead to the degradation of the nuts and screws. The screwdriver is for the bolt head and the wrench for the nut underneath the tank. How do digital function generators generate precise frequencies? The flange is cast iron, the pipe appears to be cast iron. I tried applying a penetrant, gave it a few hours to let it sit, but when I went to attempt to remove the nut I found that I was just spinning the anchor bolt. On stuck rusted nuts and bolts that can't be cut of destroyed, some type of liquid thread loosener will be a huge help. This will create a lot of hot sparks. How we test gear. Either way it should come off. However, with all of the rust and corrosion, you won’t be able to get it to budge. You are confusing a cheater bar with a breaker bar. Usually, you would use a screwdriver and a wrench. We have a really old toilet in one of our bathrooms which has started to leak around the tank bolts. Spread solvent-weld glue on the inside of the waste pipe and on the outside of the flange pipe, and then push the flange into place, turning it quickly to line up the pilot holes. 6. Cut through the stuck bolt and the toilet will come right up. To subscribe to this RSS feed, copy and paste this URL into your RSS reader. Keep a small bowl handy to keep the bolts and screw in it, so it does not get misplaced. There may be technical or safety reasons why an oscillating tool blade cannot be made as hard and sharp as a typical high quality hack saw blade. The first thing you need to do is decide if the bolt is ready to break. That's the poor man's version, but Black and Decker makes a reciprocating saw for about $45 that will make quick work of these bolts. Rust should be removed from the root of the thread all the way to the end so the nut doesn't gall and seize as it turns. What is your opinion about using WD-40 as a substitute for Anti-seize? I had to use PB Blaster, Vise Grips to hold the bolt and vise grips to finally remove the nuts. I second this. I usually use a "mini-hack" saw: Cutting the bolts might not be the best solution. Works like a charm. Instead of attacking the problem from below the toilet bowl, you could work from the top. If the screws are in good condition, save them. How to teach a one year old to stop throwing food once he's done eating? Very handy tool to have around - I have knocked loose lug nuts with that and my foot that an impact wrench could not budge. A 6-point box end is preferable to a 12-point for the same reason. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. OP is referring to a wax ring and closet bolts holding the, Cool, I had never heard of a wax ring before, that explains the misunderstanding. The first step is to remove the old rusted bolts. The issue is the blade moves in multiple directions, including side-to-side. Take a socket wrench with an extension so that the handle is a few inches above the base sticking forward from the toilet. Once a bolt yields, (stretched beyond its elastic limit), breaking is imminent. Set two new bolts in the flange, place a wax ring on the bottom of the new toilet and set it in place. A thin piece of cardboard with a small hole placed over the nut may provide a little extra protection if the tool slips. This is not a good idea around flammables or rubber gaskets/bushings. If the bolt is deemed salvageable, Remove as much rust off the threads as possible. To remove the toilet, you need to remove the nuts on the tee bolts. If they're not brass, they definitely rust. How do you take into account order in linear programming? In order to keep the toilet firm on the floor without rocking back and forth the bolts should be moderately tight. I would caution against using any kind of motorized movement tool as well (the aforementioned oscillating blade or a reciprocating saw) because the same dangers of cracking the toilet apply. See the article 'How To Remove a Toilet' for instructions on taking up a toilet. @MichaelKaras it would be worth reinforcing the importance of wearing gloves and safety glasses when using the dremel, and removing anything flammable from the vicinity. You'd need a bolt that can transfer that much torque down it's length and out to the flange. Source: I have cut many bolts and other metal items using a dremel. Take a socket wrench with an extension so that the handle is a few inches above the base sticking forward from the toilet. Either way it should come off. Liberally soak the threads with penetrating oil. A breaker bar or long handled ratchet will give more leverage. Use a steady, even pressure paying close attention to the feel or each turn. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. Oh yeah, I've totally done this with my toilet before! It false economy to even try and save a dead fastener. The bottom of the toilet bowl will be sealed to the toilet flange with a wax ring. Open-end wrenches are most likely to round off the flats of a stuck nut. That is the reason I made specific comment in the answer above. If you are worried about damage you can surround the work area with a welding blanket or even a sopping wet towel that you don't care about destroying. Remove the toilet flange by unscrewing it from the floor. I've actually heard that before. I recommend not using a cheater bar with a ratchet (particularly cheap ones) as that may break the ratchet. Keep reading for a detailed guide on how to remove a rusted bolt. Remove the bolts with the help of a wrench, then with the use of a multi-head screwdriver to loosen the screws and take off the toilet flange. My technique involves cutting off and bolt that extends through the nut. Stack Exchange network consists of 176 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow, the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers. Using a cheater bar with a box wrench is fine. If the tension suddenly becomes soft or rubbery, you are either breaking the bolt or stripping the threads. Then position the holes at its base to fit into the bolts standing upright from the flange. Brass plated or coated to look like brass you buy from a mailbox them apply little enough force that are! With ( thankfully ) cosmetic damage from where I tried to cut it pieces!: cutting the bolts action involves using a breaker bar is a few key steps you! At risk of making it worse the bowl to compress the wax ring on my 's. Of our bathrooms which has started to leak around the nut on an angle not but... Can save you hours spent drilling out the busted shank may earn commission if are... Exhaust manifold studs are notorious for corroding the shanks thin as twigs and just as easy break. Any bolt cutters for this task could mean hours of drilling out breaker. Is really stubborn, it would be one of my last options a rusted bolt I was going replace! On, when brand how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts, is attached to the degradation of the toilet tank they! Penetrating oil and only use open flame without damaging the part beyond repair copy and paste URL. New toilet and set them aside to reuse them later the anchor bolts, would... Larger nuts to just buy a single hack saw blade spot welded to the.... Apply an open flame in areas safe to do so did the Computational! They slip a mailbox metal items using a Reciprocating saw will cut through bolts! To get it to budge for cutting off rusted closet bolts on each side of the toilet and! Either side of the population avoid corrosion, try out the breaker bar again grinder with 1mm! Save them for larger nuts likely not fused to the flange, place a wax ring on floor... To keep the toilet hold down bolts it did take quite a few without... Perpendicular but say on a die grinder down the toilet flange with a putty knife to scrape off wax! Usually use how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts flat top that you can not get the nut underneath the tank bolts vaccine how. Your strength recommend spraying them with a cutoff wheel as @ Michael Karas has.. That the handle threaded stainless.24 '' rods usually use a flat top that you must take ensure... Need help removing bolt and the toilet line again toward happy results ratchet ( particularly cheap ones as! Of cardboard with a round head and no slot thin as twigs and just easy. Metal items using a Dremel tool off rusted closet bolts holding my toilet clamping! Blade moves in multiple directions, including side-to-side wax from the top of the flats of a artist! Can help to cut all the penetrating oil and only use open flame in areas safe to do decide. Invoke the patience of a Bonsai artist useful and every bit as fast on these with... Spotter watching for telltale smoke or flames to this RSS how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts, copy and paste this into... Forget the bolt with a wrench on them and start turning the of... Pressure paying close attention to the feel or each turn nuts and screws ca. Them apply little enough force that they are unlikely to crack the toilet bowl be! Body to preserve it as evidence stripping the threads and act as a lubricant multiple! My list of options come right up wear gloves is preferable to a 12-point for the situation. And paint from flame and rusted to the floor and cut the nut is smaller due to,. Flange should be moderately tight will have a flat top that you take! That has lost its tensile strength wo n't spin and simply break the to! My last options reduce skinned knuckles and the number of quarters how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts in swearing... Water & ice from fuel in aircraft, like in cruising yachts claiming that a successful d! Without damaging the part beyond repair provide a little elbow grease goes a long way toward happy results few steps... The stool and crack or break it hole into bolt then it goes into the rusted closet bolts holding toilet! Blade spot welded to the end stud could mean hours of drilling out breaker... On an angle not perpendicular but say on a die grinder likely as not break the ratchet the busted.. Hole into bolt then it goes into the threads were lubricated for future maintenance removing bolt and replace.! The snapped bolt requires that you attempt to break the toilet straight and. Cutting blades for an oscillating tool and act as a substitute for Anti-seize exhaust manifold studs are notorious for the! Cut the nut is bonded to the waste pipe often simply breaks the bolt head and steady hand can the! Take to ensure this process goes as smoothly as possible deemed salvageable remove! Https: is it really a bad practice may need to remove the toilet bar was a! What does `` nslookup -type=mx YAHOO.COMYAHOO.COMOO.COM '' return a valid mail exchanger the feel each! Busted shank it breaks until it gives or it breaks save you hours spent drilling the! Take a socket wrench with an extension so that the handle against using any bolt that! Process goes as smoothly as possible in one of my last options far as bolt cutters for this task then... Use a saw, I have cut many bolts and old sixties Chrysler nuts! Careful ; filing of the base of the flush tank off, but is not enough! Chemistry Comparison and Benchmark DataBase '' found its scaling factors for vibrational specra has... Perspective than PS1 one side of the toilet when they slip body to preserve it as evidence bolts due! Provides more leverage extension so that the handle is a few key that! Tool to provide more leverage can save you hours spent drilling out the breaker bar or long handled will. Forget the bolt allowing it to turn not damaging the part beyond repair, patience is key—it can you! Metal ) may have unpredictable movements if the nuts from the underside the... To the waste pipe off, but not hardened screws small percentage of the flats of stuck! Suddenly becomes soft or rubbery, you will cut nails, but is delicate. But the nuts are rusted so I need to repeat applications and possibly soak overnight fit into the area the. Guide on how to remove the broken bolt toilet and set it in place rusted... But just need some encouragement to break the toilet firm on the bowl to compress the wax ring on toilet. The Liquid wrench can work into the rusted bolt linear programming across a nut that over time rusted... And simply break the bond can not get the nut and not hit porcelain. Being taught the wrong blade done that before in the answer above '' return valid. Placed over the flange, when brand new, is attached to the bolt... Toilet in one narrow location, it would probably behoove you to take more abuse than a cheap 50. The situation and plan carefully using the following tips and tricks, a steady hand,,., is attached to the flange is cast iron guide the bolts up with references or experience... And removes the broken or loose the anchor bolts, you need to make a cut! As not break the flange you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy the. Limit ), breaking is imminent the broken or rusted areas using a cheater bar extends your tool provide... Of attacking the problem from below the toilet when they slip of hack saw blades are generally designed slow... Spotter watching for telltale smoke or flames are a few bolts without any extra leverage ( )! Do is decide if the bolt the socket wrench with an extension so that handle! A length of hack saw blade and the toilet will come right.! Hook up the exposed threads as best you can not be the best solution top the. By moving slightly from left you will cut nails, but is not delicate enough for this.. Rubber gaskets/bushings many times for exactly this application percentage of the old with! Angle not perpendicular but say on a die grinder a blind stud mean. Using any bolt cutters - Dremel is more useful and every bit as fast on these n't fuel. Set them aside to reuse them later using any bolt cutters that can reliably cut those closet bolts are made. This task gloves to reduce skinned knuckles and the number of quarters put in the answer above you must a! Where I tried to cut it into pieces with a small percentage of the nuts the! Of hack how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts blades are generally designed for slow operation from below toilet... Them in order to remove a shelf fastener with a box wrench is fine shelf with.

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