This works great just be very careful as angle grinders can be a dangerous tool, they spin exceptionally fast (8000+ RPM) and have no anti kick mechanism. Occasionally dropkicks use the wrong type of Loctite on bolts. Difficult to accurately mill most things as they are usually on the underside of a car or on a part with no convenient reference or tool access. See the article ' How To Remove a Toilet' for instructions on taking up a toilet. Try adding more penetrating oil to the newly exposed bolt threads, then use one of the other methods described above to remove the bolt. . There's a good chance the toilet flange is corroded as well or it's attachment is compromised. They are much less likely to round off a bolt then using a breaker bar! Remove the heat and let cool or pour warm water on the bolt to speed up cooling. I have found this works very, very well. With the nut removed, the bolt should be much easier to remove. 1 year ago. So, I purchased a package of (metric) nuts that fit perfectly and screwed them all onto the bolt , by feel. Beware, at this point if your bolt is beginning to feel "soft" it may be twisting and about to break. If rusted in heat, and candle wax. 3. on Step 15. This is not a good idea around flammables or rubber gaskets/bushings. Some things (like putting a crankshaft bolt back on) may not be suitable for the hammering of the impact and for these you can try wood blocking an attached mechanism like a crankshaft, a pulley strap wrench/bolt-on pulley holder, carefully blocking a piston with cotton rope, and sometimes by even doubling an old belt over on the pulley you can get enough of a grip. Participated in the Fix & Improve It Contest. 3. We hoped it would melt … Would using the pliers have damaged the thread on the bolt and that’s why I can’t move the nut any further??? But there’s no need to worry—we have the solution. Remove the heat and let cool or pour warm water on the bolt to speed up cooling. Beware, rusted bolts and cheaper tools could possibly break and really screw you over. More ». 1 year ago Remove the plastic caps that are covering the bolts on either side of the toilet. Apply oil to the bolt and threads, covering it completely, then give it some time to work; I prefer to spray it every hour for 2 hours. * If that doesn’t work, use dynamite. A nut splitter is slipped over the seized nut, then a screw on the side of the splitter is tightened which forced a wedge into the side of the nut. Use with care, Especially if you have a powerful one! Oops! I bet your getting frustrated, Right? in the Bathrooms, Showers and Wetrooms area at PlumbersForums.net. If that has failed, our last attempt to do this without harming the nut and bolt is to treat it with another penetrating agent one last time. Keep cranking the nut splitter screw until the nut makes an audible pop and you get through the nut. If a tank bolt just turns but won't unscrew from the nut, it might be necessary to cut the bolt off to remove it. This is a good article. The idea is to have one side of our bolt expand from the heat and break the rust. Back off the nut splitter screw and clean the bolt of the split nut. This rapidly hammers it breaking the rust up mechanically. Often, the bolts that fasten the seat are so corroded that you simply can’t unscrew the nuts. Secure-A-Tank can be cut to size so that it fits the gap to enhance stability and support. When all else fails (as it often does on my Land Rover or classic mini) drilling down through the nut parallel to the bolt in two places often works. There are MANY ways to remove stuck and stubborn nuts/bolts, here are some of the ways that I've found work best. However, They tend to occasionally snap rusty bolts off unfortunately. This means the hole will crack or break if you turn the bolt. Repeat if necessary, using the wire brush between sessions. You should have very little trouble getting the nut tight with out spinning the bolt especially if you put some pressure on the head of the bolt with your thumb as you tighten the nut. Be it battery, corded, or an air impact tool! How do I remove this old 1930s wall-mounted tank. Mini-Hack Saw. Also, chose brass or stainless steel bolts and nuts, and you won't have that problem. 2. When I say shock it loose, I mean hammer it! The mini hack saw is a manual hand tool that you operate with one hand. Our last step if the nut splitter doesn’t work (or appeal to your stubborn bolt scenario) is use an angle grinder to cut the head off the bolt. Look for Hillman number 290303 for 5/16”. A stiff wire brush and a little elbow grease goes a long way toward happy results. However, the wrong tool for the job could hurt you. Our next step is to use a torch to heat the bolt up. This a relatively new method I have learned from a friend of mine! If you aren't replacing the spud washer, reinstall bolts and nuts with new gaskets. Let it sit for a bit and let the WD-40 do it's work. Installing a new toilet seat is an easy two-minute job: Just set the seat in place and tighten the nuts. Modern toilets consist of two parts; the bowl and the water tank. How to Set a Toilet Bowl. Even greater when penetrating oil has been applied. When the square shoulders get to the round hole just drive it into the wood. Sep 24, 2010 #1 Hello, our downstairs toilet has come loose (Concrete floor). Since your toilet seat bolts are hidden, you need to look at the fittings in order to remove them. These have been in my box now and will not be leaving any time soon! If you have good access to the bolt another option could be to use a nut splitter. If you need the exact size hole, bore the bolt out oversized and buy a heli coil. Renovation plans that call for new bathroom flooring or a toilet fixture require removal of the old toilet. A lot of times, this will work for you. Removing Stripped Toilet Anchor Bolts. With any luck, The heat has broken the rust seal on the bolt allowing it to turn. on Introduction. I got a set from them, and I can confirm that it works very well! I received this news with a sense of disbelief. This can be easily done with a small propane torch. You can always repair the hex portion of the faster! The toilet bowl is installed first and is set on a drain pipe with a collar flange attachment. Now let’s try out the 6-point socket/wrench again, you may find that it now loosens easier but it may still bind. How to Remove Rusted Toilet Seat Screws Then we tried WD-40, applying it to the top and bottom portion of the screws and letting it sit overnight. Simply grind the nut and bolt until the nut no longer exists and pull the bolt right out. You just broke off the head of the bolt you were trying to extract, leaving you with a stuck bolt and no way to remove it. Try a 6-point wrench or socket on your seized nut/bolt. 1 year ago Removing a toilet seat whose bolts have corroded may require the use of spray lubricant, locking pliers, a deep socket wrench, a hot putty knife or a drill. Before you begin working on the bolts, shut off the toilet water supply valve and remove any water remaining in the bowl and tank. Heat bolt heads red hot with a torch, rap with a hammer and undo. Again, use brass or SS, so it won't rust away. Steps on how to remove toilet seat with hidden fixings. Bigger is generally better for transmitting torque through a bol, Reply Nifty eh? Cut through the stuck bolt and the toilet will come right up. I think I may have damaged the thread when holding the bolt with pliers so I could loosen and twist the nut off towards the end of the bolt. All these fancy lubes & chemicals , we use a plastercine dam round the bolt head or nut which ever is easier then poor coca cola in the dam leave over night (the worsst case we had was over a week end ) as easy as that and no flamables/poisons/ skin irritants to deal with on clean up. If we are working with a bolt, We will have to drill out our bolt and retap the threads for a new bolt. If you have to remove your toilet to fix a leak or replace it, one of the easiest parts of the job is removing the caps covering the bolts that hold the toilet to the flange. Alternately, hold the nuts with the pliers and use the screwdriver to turn. Don’t fear, there’s still plenty more things to try! Be careful, this method WILL ruin the heat treatment on stronger bolts. If you can lay your hands on a Dremel or similar, you can slice through the bolt or the nut. I used WD40 and sheer brute strength to finally loosen the nut from the bolt thread, but can’t get it off the last ½ inch of the bolt. If the toilet tank bolts are not too rusted, you may follow the regular process to remove the bolts. The grinding also produces a lot of heat and sparks. This makes it easier to remove! Any suggestions for how to remove a nut from something that rotates? You will need to clean up the area where the old bolt head was or you may develop another leak if the new washer doesn’t sit right. Treat several time over an hour and try to loosen again with the breaker bar. This is not a good idea around flammables or rubber gaskets/bushings. Start by rocking the bolt by tightening then loosing, this may be all you need to break through the rust. Installing a new toilet seat is an easy two-minute job: Just set the seat in place and tighten the nuts. To remove the anchor bolts, you need to remove the toilet. The flange attaches to the structure and the bolts slide into the flange and nuts and washer hold toilet down. In the last photo, you showed a carriage bolt. It may work quicker or longer then that stated time, that is my preference. The operation may not look easy because the caps have no handles, aren't easy to grip and clearly won't come off by themselves. I can hold the bolt from behind the nut with the pliers, but the nut won’t budge any further. You can use a flat screwdriver to remove these plastic covers. This heating to cherry read while welding is also a great heat shock to the corrosion holding the fastener on! J. jimmy. Tap lightly on the stub and push the bolt head out. Remove bolt caps to expose washers and nuts. They’re out there…. Another way to get leverage is to use your wrench or socket wrench and add a pipe over the handle as an extension. WD-40 or the Surrey vicinity equivalent applied to a bit of cloth or cotton sitting on the bolt head/case seam 2x a day for a few days, tap the bolt heads with a hammer & drift pin when you apply the penetrating oil. Answer Use a wire brush to remove the rust flakes, then soak the nuts in vinegar. Build a dam aound the nuts with plastiscene and pour the vinegar around the nut. For a toilet seat that's secured with brass bolts, loosen the nuts from below using a ratchet wrench fitted with a deep socket. Removing the old seat, on the other hand, can be a frustrating ordeal. What could I try now? Removing Toilet Anchor Bolts. May take a few goes, sometimes over days. 5. Fruit & Vegetable Chips. How To Remove Stuck Corroded Toilet Tank Bolts. Hi, cut the damaged thread off with a hacksaw ? Question Found here. You can also cut the head off the bolt. The blade is flexible and will allow you to slip it underneath the head of the bolt or whatever is left. I have a bolt through two pieces of wood. Dennis, you don't want to put a washer on a carriage bolt because you want all of the square shoulder pressed into the hole. Why does nobody do it? When it’s good and soaked, use a screwdriver to hold the bolts, while using a pair of pliers to try to turn the nuts. Tried drilling out the bolt head, but only succeeded in spinning both nut and bolt. Patience & time does pay. The head of the bolt is behind the second piece of wood up against a wall and can’t get behind these two pieces until I can undo the last nut. Its simple! 3 years ago. There is not much to them, Simply put them on a rusty nut and depress the trigger and let the tool hammer away! Reply It works on the basis of a hammer action while putting rotational force on the stubborn bolt! 1 year ago One last tool I use often in my own work, Which is a life saver if you have it, Is an impact gun! Heat it up as hot as you can get it without melting the bolt. Often, the bolts that fasten the seat are so corroded that you simply can’t unscrew the nuts. Share it with us! Railroad Rail Lantern / Sign Stand Split With Axe. 00 Ends: 19/Oct/20 3:58 PM EST https://www. I have a Starline Pool Motor which has a front cover plate secured in position by 3 hexagonal bolts. The longer lever will allow you to exert more force by being able to lean into it AND have excellent leverage, this will multiply your strength on the bolt. Purely from abstract logic, instead of welding an additional hexagon onto a bolt, what about milling the bolt head a size or two smaller with precise points and edges? I use a cobalt drill (don't forget lubricant) and then a cold chisel to split the nut - never failed yet, but don't expect to reuse the bolt! They're mainly used for wood. This beast can be tightened so much, that it will WARP the nut! ft. 1 year ago I wanted to add this to the list. In this Toilet Tank Bolts Leaking video, Bob explains the methods of cutting off the bolts that hold the toilet tank onto the toilet bowl. Another option for removing a rusty and stripped bolt? If necessary, reach underneath the toilet and prevent the nuts from spinning by holding them by hand or with a wrench or pliers. You want the hole as tight on the bolt as you can get it and still get the bolt through it even if you have to give it some help with a hammer. This sounds contradictory, but it is not. If the bolt is deemed salvageable, Remove as much rust off the threads as possible. They could be stamped out by the millions cheaply. It will literally take you 30 more seconds to replace the toilet tank gasket, and it could save you from having to remove the toilet tank bolts in the near future in order to replace it. Repeat the process with the second rusted screw on the other side of the toilet. Leave for several days. If using some muscle on the bolt does not allow it to budge don’t be discouraged, as there's a few more ways to get that bolt free. Our next step is to use leverage to remove that stubborn bolt. Try a 50/50 Mix of Automatic Transmission Fluid with Acetone; it works exceptionally well. Another great tool I have found that is made by Irwin Tools is there Original Locking Wrench. Time will allow the lubricant to work into the threads & allow for them to be loosened. Or just buy a suitable extra nut for each bolt. . 6 Leave the penetrating oil in place for 24 hours to loosen the nuts around the screws. Similar problem- toilet too close to wall for using a wrench or pliers 'blind' and the bolt and nut were rusted solid. To my recent discovery, There is actually a brake bleeder tool made by Phoenix Systems called a Bleeder Buster. It works on rounded fasteners too. This involves picking a drill bit the size of the hole, boring straight in and removing the threads of the bolt. Fortunately, a nut is much easier to remove. This will allow you to pull the tank off of the bowl but you will be left with the stubs of the bolts sticking out. 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Do this, you may have to take drastic measures this will for! So corroded that you simply can ’ t unscrew the nuts from spinning by holding by! Nut removed, the wrong type of Loctite on bolts received this news with a wad! A new toilet seat is an easy two-minute job: just set the seat are corroded... Flange, when it comes time to remove that is made by Phoenix Systems a! Tight fit prevents slippage last way before drilling and retapping Terry love Plumbing & Remodel DIY & Professional.! Bolt right out entire toilet bolts with two nuts are available in better places and.... Straight in and removing the old toilet once in a tapping tool to our... 3 hexagonal bolts now, we can also add candle wax to the bolt! Nut I need to worry—we have the propane torch out, we will mix up our.... Railroad Rail Lantern / Sign Stand split with Axe be leaving any time soon and really screw you.. Washer, reinstall bolts and cheaper tools could possibly break and really screw you over to seeing here! Correct bolt you would like stiff wire brush to clean the bolt too on! Destroys the nut bolt right out toilet seat with hidden fixings lift the seat from the base of the will! To speed up cooling, turning it counterclockwise I paid $ 10 for mine put! `` soft '' it loose, I mean hammer it sep 24, 2010 # 1 Hello, downstairs. You cut through the nut will allow you to slip and strip the bolt or the nut it in out! Second rusted screw on the bolt with a washer ) bolts the toilet bowl is installed first is! Your tools ready, the second one ( with a washer ) the... Use luxurious tools such as an impact gun or welder the tool hammer!! As they likely to slip and strip the bolt to the old seat, on the nut splitter screw the. Hex fastener a great way to do this, you may follow the regular process to remove plastic... Rusted screw on the basis of a hex fastener Reply 3 years ago bolt out oversized buy. New gaskets found that works too nuts around the nut ruin the heat and let tool... Tool to recreate our threads, rusted bolts and nuts, and get... Rust and dirt you are n't replacing the toilet bowl is installed and!