How to Replace Toilet Bolts

The moderate challenge of replacing toilet bolts is not related directly to the process of bolt removal. The real challenge associated with replacing toilet bolts specifically is that, unlike many other bolts in your house, these ones may go through decades without having been so much as touched. The liquid and humidity associated with a bathroom typically rusts these bolts.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wrench WD-40 Vise-grip locking tool Hacksaw

Removing Old Bolts

1. Remove the plastic caps that often cover the bolts.

2. If the bolts are corroded, soak them in WD-40, allowing it to sink in for thirty minutes if you cannot remove the bolts easily with just a wrench. A wrench will probably not work in this case because the WD-40 is going to still be slippery. Instead use a vise-grip locking tool around the bolt.

3. After progress has been made in loosening the bolts, you can remove the vise-grip and replace with a wrench, making sure to place a rag around the wrench in order to get better traction.

4. Place a wrench around the bolt and tighten the circumference of the tool. Then turn in a counterclockwise motion. If the bolts are in good condition they should come right off with only minimal effort. In order to keep the toilet balanced, alternate back and forth between the two bolts rather than taking one out and then the other.

5. Try as best you can to remove the bolt by using some kind lubrication to loosen it, but understand that in some cases it is going to come down to admitting that the bolt simply is not going to move.

6. Clean away all debris and dry off any oily substance you have used to loosen the bolt and place the blade of a hacksaw and begin to saw the bolt off. Very rusty bolts in these instance are actually preferable because you should be able to saw only partway through the bolt before it will begin to give enough that you can actually break the bolt off completely.

Replacing the Bolts

7. Replace the old bolts with the exact size. The best way to ensure that you get the right size is to take the old bolts to the hardware store and measure them up against the new bolts.

8. Insert the bolts into the holes, slowly and carefully screwing them into place. Alternate between the two in order to keep the toilet even. Do not overtighten as this can cause leaks down the road.

9. Replace the caps over the toilet bolts.

Tips & Warnings

• Do not use a wrench that is so large it will crash into the porcelain if you struggle too hard to loosen the bolt and suddenly are sent flying as this can leave you with a sizable hole in an utterly useless toilet Do overtighten bolts as this can also cause the porcelain to crack.