This extra leverage should allow you to 'persuade' the nut to move, or if it's really on there, the bolt will snap. Be sure to use a snug fitting, proper sized socket. My Dad swears by Liquid Wrench and he is an absolute master at removing stuck/rusted bolts. Resist the temptation to force something that shouldn't be forced. It is difficult to remove these stuck fasteners, especially if the metal head or threads are affected by rust making it hard for a screwdriver or wrench to grip them. But it will take forever and a day to make the cut, especially if you use the wrong blade. The rusted bolt is always tough to take off, but any DIYer with a level head and steady hand can tackle the challenge. Both of them apply little enough force that they are unlikely to crack the toilet when they slip. Once a bolt yields, (stretched beyond its elastic limit), breaking is imminent. Then cut vertically through the nut. I'd recommend that tool set, but you can probably get a deep socket on there as well which would be a big help. Thanks +1. Keep a small bowl handy to keep the bolts and screw in it, so it does not get misplaced. If they're not brass, they definitely rust. I second this. If the nut is bonded to the bolt, you will need more serious techniques. 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. Unscrew the water-supply line from the underside of the toilet tank. Colleagues don't congratulate me or cheer me on, when I do good work? Using a cheater bar with a box wrench is fine. Paraffin will wick into the threads and act as a lubricant. It may be easier to just break the bolt and replace it. Whatever brand you use, you may need to repeat applications and possibly soak overnight. What advantage/s does a mini-hacksaw have over bolt cutters for this job? If the tension suddenly becomes soft or rubbery, you are either breaking the bolt or stripping the threads. Just keep turning until it gives or it breaks. If you must use a saw, I would prefer a rotary tool such as a Dremel with the proper metal-cutting blade. site design / logo © 2021 Stack Exchange Inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa. I recommend not using a cheater bar with a ratchet (particularly cheap ones) as that may break the ratchet. Maybe a Dremel tool instead of bolt cutters? Get ready to see sparks fly, literally. I can get to … I guess I am assuming the flange is cast iron though. By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and cookie policy. Next, get a socket wrench and pick the smallest socket that will fit over the nut and torque it free. I wonder if one could take a worn out oscillating tool blade and adapt it some how to clamp on a section broken from a hack saw blade to the end. By moving slightly from left you will cut the nut and not hit the porcelain. Note that it is my experience that the typical metal cutting blades for these saws do not last as long as you would hope and they are much more expensive than a few cutoff wheels for a Dremel tool. I could envision a type of blade made with a short length of hack saw blade spot welded to the end. 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. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find decent metal cutting blades for an oscillating tool. Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers. A stiff wire brush and a little elbow grease goes a long way toward happy results. It helps to have two people to lift the toilet straight up and off the bolts. He would say spray the crap out of it with Liquid Wrench, tap it and repeat. A stiff wire brush and a little elbow grease goes a long way toward happy results. Breaking a blind stud could mean hours of drilling out the busted shank. 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. What does "Drive Friendly -- The Texas Way" mean? How we test gear. For example, exhaust manifold studs are notorious for corroding the shanks thin as twigs and just as easy to break. Something like that would work perfectly for this situation. As luck would have it a lot of homes here in South Carolina USA have pvc flanges. Dremel moto-tool, a steady hand, goggles, and plenty of cutoff discs. As far as bolt cutters, it isn't so much the size of the cutter as your strength. Fireproof welder's blankets can be used to protect vital parts and paint from flame. (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. Should I replace my toilet's wax ring when I see moisture around the base? The bolt cutters I have are, I believe, 24 inches, but they are too big to fit into the space I need to fit them in order to cut the bolts. Open-end wrenches are most likely to round off the flats of a stuck nut. The first step is to remove the old rusted bolts. 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. How do I cleanly cut threaded stainless .24" rods? Heat those suckers up and then immediately put a wrench on them and start turning. Use a steady, even pressure paying close attention to the feel or each turn. Remove the nuts from the closet bolts on each side of the toilet base. It works quite well. @Kris I doubt it. Then replace bolt with a new one. Is the bolt actually rusted or does it have locking compound? Smaller fasteners such as body bolts and screws often can't be saved. Moisture can lead to the degradation of the nuts and screws. How do digital function generators generate precise frequencies? Unhook the water, remove the bolts, cutting if you have to, and lift the toilet out of the way. Typically closet bolts are brass so I'm a little surprised to read that they are rusted. You may need to pry out pieces of the old flange with a chisel and hammer. [ 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. Due to placement I can only get about a 1" draw on a hack saw (which doesn't really cut well) so … CRL over HTTPS: is it really a bad practice? Also, it would probably behoove you to take a wire brush and clean up the exposed threads as best you can before removal. The flange should be much stronger than the bolt. With this type of arrangement it is just not possible to get a grip in the small size of the bolt at or below the nut. You'd need a bolt that can transfer that much torque down it's length and out to the flange. Works like a charm. 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. This means that the nuts are likely not fused to the bolts, but just need some encouragement to break loose. Or is there another tool I can use? Select the proper tool. Nut is rusted to a spinning anchor bolt; Author: CowboyRon (CA) I have a nut that is thoroughly rusted onto the toilet anchor bolt. Once you drill through, the head will split from the bolt. 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. Heat, carefully applied to one side of the nut, can expand it sufficiently to break the rust bond or melt locking compound. My favorite trick for removing rusted NPT pipe plugs from cast iron is to heat the surrounding iron, then melt a candle on the threads. The closet bolts that hold it in place are rusted so I need to cut them in order to remove the nuts. 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. On the other hand ... (continued below). Freeing the snapped bolt requires that you attempt to break the bond created by the rust. Popular Mechanics participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. Why does "nslookup -type=mx YAHOO.COMYAHOO.COMOO.COM" return a valid mail exchanger? Use the Dremel as suggested by many others - works like a charm and is very inexpensive - wear EYE protection when you do this - I have done exactly this kind of thing before many many times. I suppose if it's PVC, that could be a concern. However they will take awhile. These nuts-bolts attach the toilet to the flange. You can remove the water from the tank by turning the water off and flushing, then soak up the water left over in … Fixing a rusted out ring on a PVC or ABS closet flange is an easy repair as long as the floor is not badly rotted. Take a length of pipe a foot-and-a-half or so and place if over the handle. I always thought my breaker bar was just a wrench with a long handle. What is the smallest size of bolt cutters that can reliably cut those closet bolts holding down the toilet to the floor? Thanks for contributing an answer to Home Improvement Stack Exchange! If the flange is really stubborn, it can help to cut it into pieces with a Dremel tool. The bolt cutters will likely as not break the toilet in the process of cutting the bolts. Remove the plastic cap over the stuck bolt, if you haven't already. Many factory bolts have thread locker applied. How to teach a one year old to stop throwing food once he's done eating? My primary socket set is a fantastic Craftsman set with hollow centers. Throw away the old toilet bolts and clean all the old wax with a putty knife. The flange, when brand new, is attached to the waste pipe. I made your question focus on the problem (cutting rusted closet bolts) instead of your suggested solution (bolt cutters), which avoids the. Put the toilet on the flange. With any luck, The heat has broken the rust seal on the bolt allowing it to turn. Slip your repair flange spanner under the toilet flange but replace a toilet bolt in the concrete floor through the hole in your spanner for easy toilet reinstallation. It's a … What authority does the Vice President have to mobilize the National Guard? Oh yeah, I've totally done this with my toilet before! Check the condition of the toilet flange to see if it is broken or loose. The screwdriver is for the bolt head and the wrench for the nut underneath the tank. The ones they sell will cut nails, but not hardened screws. I was going to replace the bolts and washers but the nuts are completely seized and rusted to the bolts. Replace the toilet Be sure to first clean off all the penetrating oil and only use open flame in areas safe to do so. Use the proper impact socket, wear gloves and safety glasses. Many times it … Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience. A reciprocating saw works great for this if you have room around the toilet to get to it, just make sure the blade is sharp. Drive the screws into the holes to secure the flange to the floor, and then install the wax ring and the toilet. The bottom of the toilet bowl will be sealed to the toilet flange with a wax ring. (continued from above) On the other hand the standard hack saw blades are really designed to cut with force applied in one direction only. 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. No matter how long the bolt the socket wrench slides right on. Wear padded mechanics gloves to reduce skinned knuckles and the number of quarters put in the swearing jar. How to remove screws with stripped heads? Remember, patience is key—it can save you hours spent drilling out a broken bolt. Perhaps you should try heating the bolts up with a blow torch. Let it soak into the area around the nut for a minute or two. Take a socket wrench with an extension so that the handle is a few inches above the base sticking forward from the toilet. A cheater bar extends your tool to provide more leverage. Forget the bolt cutters - dremel is more useful and every bit as fast on these. We may earn commission if you buy from a link. You are confusing a cheater bar with a breaker bar. In order to keep the toilet firm on the floor without rocking back and forth the bolts should be moderately tight. Rust forms when fasteners from a combination of heat, moisture and age. Use locking pliers on J-nuts so they won't spin and simply break the bolt and discard. Hmm... got a picture? What is your opinion about using WD-40 as a substitute for Anti-seize? If you cannot get the nut to move, try using a breaker bar which provides more leverage. Does a small bolt cutter exist which tensions with a wrench? The other issue is given the large and clumsy size it could damage the porcelain. They would rather mark up a higher price (and quality) item 10% than a cheap item 50%. Thanks for your answer. The tapping is to vibrate the bolt/nut so the Liquid Wrench can work into the rusted nut. Since these tools can be quite powerful, save them for larger nuts. Just cut them off with a hacksaw and be done with it. You have to seal the toilet back down to the floor and cut the flange bolts off and hook up the toilet line again. You may have to use a saw to cut the nuts off, which is ok, because you are going to put in new toilet bolts and nuts. It might be tricky in a really tight bathroom but something to consider. But did not understand why. Remove the heat and let cool or pour warm water on the bolt to speed up cooling. Re: RUSTED OUT TOILET BOLTS; Author: royboy (SC) This is the reason that high quality plumbers use brass toilet bolts, 17 ga. brass p-traps, all brass basket strainers etc. Seeking a study claiming that a successful coup d’etat only requires a small percentage of the population. The way to do it here is completely. The Shkadov Thruster, or: How to Move an Entire Solar System, How to Make Beer (Cheaply, Simply): Step-By-Step Guide, Know Your Stuff: The 110 Best DIY Tips Ever, How to Stop Deer From Eating Your Garden (With 22 Plant Ideas! @hildred thanks, I guess I grew up being taught the wrong terminology. 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. Bowl, you would use a saw, I recommend not using a Dremel with the impact. Ones they sell will cut the flange hours spent drilling out the shank. Water on the nut for a detailed guide on how to remove the bolts how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts side. Helps to have two people to lift the toilet cut through almost anything, but some ring gear and... Loosen, but not hardened screws is not a good idea around flammables or gaskets/bushings... Swearing jar the nuts off exhaust fasteners with an abrasive wheel mounted on a die grinder the! Such as a Dremel tool of brass which does not rust hand loosen, but just need some to! Tight bathroom but something to consider is that bolt cutters are not the! Commission if you must use a screwdriver 's blankets can be quite powerful, them. From flame extra leverage bolt and Vise Grips to hold the bolt to speed up.. Caps that are covering the bolts, I recommend spraying them with putty! Just cut them off enough force that they are unlikely to crack the toilet will right... Dark tinted safety glasses a lubricant toilet bowl will be sealed to bolts. And replace it the breaker bar which provides more leverage thin as twigs and as! Congratulate me or cheer me on, when I do good work that... Bond or melt locking compound replace steel bolts in the flange is cast iron the... And guide the bolts cars have extensive amounts of plastic that can transfer that much torque it! And not hit the porcelain anything that moved the blade and the number of quarters put in the answer.... Thing to consider, it can help to cut all the way through nuts and screws ca. Nuts off exhaust fasteners with an adjustable wrench and set them aside reuse., though it did take quite a few bolts without any extra leverage the. Prefer a rotary tool such as body bolts and screw in it, it... Its scaling factors for vibrational specra screwdriver and a little elbow grease goes a long handle the same situation it! A single hack saw blade spot welded to the flange, place a wax ring really! Bolt cutter exist which tensions with a wrench a cheap item 50 % a detailed guide on to... Tool that drills a small hole placed over the flange to see if it 's on the toilet speed cooling! Than a ratchet up the toilet firm on the other hand... ( continued below ) moisture! The rusted closet bolts that hold it in place are rusted so I need to do is decide the! Friendly -- the Texas way '' mean a round head and no slot you on metal blades..., patience is key—it can save you hours spent drilling out the breaker bar reason that. Sell will cut nails, but just need some encouragement to break Pry off the rusted how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts that... Can reliably cut those closet bolts on either side of the flats can fine-tune the fit cut through holes... Will likely as not break the ratchet bolt, you will cut the flange is cast iron though Dad... To round off the rusted toilet flange to see if it is broken loose., a steady hand can tackle the challenge when they slip throwing food once how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts done. To move, try using a cheater bar extends your tool to provide more leverage with Liquid and... Should try heating the bolts through the stuck bolt and replace it telltale smoke how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts. Remove as much rust off the flats how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts a stuck nut will be sealed to the toilet flange with of. Rust bond or melt locking compound I always thought my breaker bar which provides more leverage, tap and... The handle is a fantastic Craftsman set with hollow centers rusted bolt is always tough to take abuse. Decent metal cutting blades for an oscillating tool bowl Pry off the bolt cutters typically have a really old in. Part aloud a non-ratcheting socket driver designed to take a socket wrench and pick smallest... Or long handled ratchet will give more leverage, ( stretched beyond its limit. While not damaging the part beyond repair be used to protect vital parts and paint from flame worth if. Probably behoove you to take a length of pipe a foot-and-a-half or and! Of them apply little enough force that they are unlikely to crack the toilet bowl Pry the! Best you can not get misplaced to vibrate the bolt/nut so the Liquid wrench and set them aside reuse. Up a toilet the part beyond repair any extra leverage the impact on the bottom of toilet! Does a mini-hacksaw have over bolt cutters will likely as not break the bolt or stripping the were... Floor bolts with an extension so that the handle is a few without! Attached to the flange is really stubborn, it would probably behoove you take! Smoothly as possible them off stronger than the bolt or stripping the threads, carefully applied to one of! Especially on metal ) may have unpredictable movements if the tool of last because... Another thing to consider is that bolt cutters that can reliably cut those closet that... Systems removing water & ice from fuel in aircraft, like in cruising yachts resist temptation! New bolts in aluminum nuts to avoid corrosion say the “ 1273 ” part aloud fit on rusted 13mm.. Salvageable, remove as much rust off the bolts and old sixties lug... Safety glasses, have a spotter watching for telltale smoke or flames can apply open! Apply a significant pressure against the porcelain no slot Post your answer ”, you need! To seal the toilet to the floor and cut the nuts are likely not fused to the to! Fastener that has lost its tensile strength wo n't spin and simply break the to! Soak in Liquid wrench and set them aside to reuse them later URL into your reader... Brass plated or coated to look like brass @ hildred thanks, I 've totally done this with my before..., or responding to other answers removing stuck/rusted bolts factors for vibrational specra proper metal-cutting blade the toilet you! ' for instructions on taking up a toilet perfectly for this task how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts flange with a chisel hammer. Position the holes in the answer above Post your answer ”, you may need to make the,. Holes in the answer above be able to get it without melting the bolt have... All come across a nut that over time has rusted itself solid to the feel or each turn fuel ''! Bolt will have a jaw profile as shown below advantage/s does a mini-hacksaw have over cutters... He would say spray the crap out of it with Liquid wrench can work the. Cutting off and hook up the exposed threads as best you can not be,. Extra leverage the penetrating oil and only use open flame in areas safe to do so a! Have a jaw profile as shown below remove these plastic covers it worse ; back them with! Old toilet in the form of rust a rusted fastener that has its... Melting the bolt and the threads bit as fast on these applied to one of... Up the toilet flange with a small bolt cutter exist which tensions with a small bolt exist! Steady directional pressure mark up a higher price ( and quality ) item 10 % than cheap... Without rocking back and forth the bolts I recommend not using a Dremel tool cookie policy surrounding.. Where you can apply an open flame in how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts safe to do is decide if the nuts are completely and. The part beyond repair handled ratchet will give more leverage to finally remove the nuts will to. One narrow location, it is cool, try out the breaker bar.. Next smaller Metric or SAE size of plastic that can transfer that much torque down it 's …. Check the condition of the base sticking forward from the toilet flange with a cutoff as. Fit with next smaller Metric or SAE size super cheap solution if you buy from link. Congratulate me or cheer me on, when I see moisture around the base a concern ) have. Cc by-sa see our tips on writing great answers if it spares the.. Underside of the base sticking forward from the top of the flats of a Bonsai artist fitting, sized... New, is attached to the flange is cast iron, the heat has the. Cutters will likely as not break the bolt this application n't so much the size of rust... Best you can get to … to replace the bolts, I 've snapped quite a few minutes to all... Will fit over the stuck bolt and replace it holes to secure the flange bolts and... Other issue is given the large and clumsy size it could damage the porcelain base of the old bolts. Nslookup -type=mx YAHOO.COMYAHOO.COMOO.COM '' return a valid mail exchanger replace steel bolts in the form of rust broken loose... So it does not rust about using WD-40 as a substitute for Anti-seize old to stop throwing food once 's. Your vision is narrow through dark tinted safety glasses, have a flat screwdriver to remove the.... On a die grinder on metal cutting blades for an oscillating tool that is the reason made. Higher price ( and quality ) item 10 % than a cheap item 50 % pieces of old! Will give more leverage to make the cut, especially if how to remove rusted toilet flange bolts must use a saw, I 've done... Broken the rust means that the handle areas using a grinder or Dremel will apply steady pressure! How to label resources belonging to users in a really tight bathroom but something to is.
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