# toilet flange bolts spinning in place



## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Remove the toilet---add a nut (and washer if needed) to the bolt and fix it in place before you replace the wax ring and reset the toilet.


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## pennywise (Mar 1, 2012)

So there should be two nuts on each bolt? One to hold the bolt to the ring and another on top of the toilet to hold the toilet in place? Why don't they include two sets of nuts with each new tiolet/ring combo? Thanks for the reply btw.


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## oh'mike (Sep 18, 2009)

Usually you don't need to nut the bolts to the flange--something in not normal with your set up---

My suggestion will work----for the cost of a couple of nuts and and washers---or you can spend your time figuring out what is amiss with the repair flange---

Me? I'd get the nuts---Mike---


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I bought an off brand wax ring that came with the bolts. The heads was so much smaller then the old ones they just spun instead if catching in the bottom side of the slots.

Is this a repair ring you installed because the old flange was shot?


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## pennywise (Mar 1, 2012)

Yes the old flange needed replacement. The bolts came with a high-end Kohler toilet. i just don't understand why the replacement brass ring doesn't hold the bolt heads in place without having to put an extra set of nuts on the end. Won't the toilet now sit on the nuts instead of flush (no pun inteaded) on the flange?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

A reguler toilet flange has a slot on the back side of it that stops the bolts from turning. You may have just a flat surface on the back side.
The bolts they give you are to long anyway and will need to be cut off so I see no harm in installing the washer and nut then clamping the top of the bolt with a pair of vice grips, tighten the nut, then just cut off the bolt.
That way there's no extra nut needed.


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## COLDIRON (Mar 15, 2009)

I did that a couple times, it works real good. If you think the nuts and bolts are cheesy go buy a new set, their cheap. Sometimes you can load them up with plumbers putty to hold them in place then lower the toilet straight down.


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## pennywise (Mar 1, 2012)

Thanks folks. All good ideas. I'll let you know how it turns out.


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## AllanJ (Nov 24, 2007)

joecaption said:


> Ahe bolts they give you are to long anyway and will need to be cut off so I see no harm in installing the washer and nut then clamping the top of the bolt with a pair of vice grips, tighten the nut, then just cut off the bolt..


YOu may have trouble taking the nuts off if and when the time comes years later. The bolts will spin then. However you could get it apart by destroying the nuts with a Dremel Mototool equipped with a cutting disk.


pennywise said:


> So there should be two nuts on each bolt? One to hold the bolt to the ring and another on top of the toilet to hold the toilet in place? .


Be sure to test fit the toilet first without a wax ring to be sure the toilet base touches the floor without having the nuts touch the underside of the mounting holes. If the nuts have to support the weight of the toilet, the toilet could crack.


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## Homerepairguy (Aug 1, 2010)

joecaption said:


> The bolts they give you are to long anyway and will need to be cut off so I see no harm in installing the washer and nut then clamping the top of the bolt with a pair of vice grips, tighten the nut, then just cut off the bolt.
> That way there's no extra nut needed.


If the "holding nuts on top of the flange" method won't work, I like Joecaption's suggestion of holding the top of the bolt with a pair of vice grips and tightening the nut. I did a bit of additional brain storming and I think the following idea will work:

1. No matter which method you end up using, buy all stainless steel bolts, nuts and washers. The cost is so minimal compared to the supplied bolts and nuts corroding and have to be cut off years later. I installed all stainless steel bolts and washers on our two toilets after I had to cut corroded nuts and bolts off one of the toilets. (There should be a law stating that all toilet bolts, nuts and washers shall be stainless steel only, including the bolts and nuts that hold the tank to the bowl.)

2. Using Joecaption's suggestion, try dry fitting everything without the wax ring first. Tighten the top nuts and mark the bolts above them. Disassemble, then using a power grinder, grind the threads away above the marks so there are two flats on either side of the bolts using an open end wrench as a gauge. Don't cut the bolts but grind the flats the width of the grinding wheel above the marks on the bolts.

3. Put plastic straws on the bolts and then install the toilet with the wax ring using the plastic straws to guide the bolts through the holes. Install the nuts using lock tight. Tighten the nuts while using an open end wrench to hold the flats on the bolts. The flats should be plenty enough to hold the bolts since you don't want to tighten the nuts too much and crack the toilet.

4. Cut the bolts as high as possible to allow installing the bolt covers but leaving enough flats to be able to use an open end wrench or vice grips when removing the nuts years later. The nuts should come off easily since the threads will not be damaged.

Sounds like a lot of extra work but not really if you have a power grinding wheel. Might be an alternative if the holding nuts on top of the flange method won't work.

EDIT: Can grind the flats without using an open end wrench as a gauge. Then just use a crescent wrench in step-3.

HRG


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