How to fix a wandering toilet seat?

[HarryM]

I've recently fitted a new toilet (Twyford's Albany). The problem is the seat won't stay put but gradually moves out of alignment. It came with plastic washers and they tend to slip even with the wing nuts tightened as far as I dare.

I tried replacing the bottom washers with domed rubber washers to centre the fixing studs in the holes, but then I can't position the seat in the right postion. The postion is quite critical, because the seat is quite wide and only just clears the cistern handle. And anyway even with domed washers the seat still tends to shift.

It seems I will have to stick with the plastic washers and use some sort of sealant or mastic to hold them in place. Any suggestions what I should use? What do you professionals do?

 

[kevplumb]

throw the old hinges away and get a stainless set

far better

 

[HarryM]

Thanks kevplumb. But the hinges are chrome plated and came with the (very expensive) Albany seat. They work fine. The problem is the washers move on the ceramic.

 

[emanresu]

I have a similar problem. Even changed the toilet seat for the type with a bar between the hinges, but it still went. I put it down to the cheap toilet bowl I bought. I'll be interested if anyone has an answer to this!

 

[htgeng]

someone is going to say that there is a clickfix for loo seats

 

[doitall]

someone is going to say that there is a clickfix for loo seats

yes just fill the hole up with silicon before you do the nut up

 

[ChrisR]

ALso, if you have the sort where a length of studding screws about 2mm into one of 3 possible holes in a round part, they WILL come loose unless you glue them in with loctite or similar.

 

[Stoday]

It sounds as though the seat isn't properly aligned in the first place and sitting on it forces movement.

You must set it up so that the front buffer sits on the level part of the ceramic WC pan. You can do this by swapping the fixings left and right as well as turning 180 deg and screwing the rod into one of two holes. There's lots of adjustment if you think it out.

 

[Allenm]

Ditch the soppy plastic nuts and get yourself some Metal wingnuts, tighten it up... Job done.

Merv

 

[htgeng]

found it! he needs one of these

To eliminate the problem of the SEAT SLIDING, we provide "Anti-Slide" fins for safety.

http://greatjohn.com/grjodi.html

What made me laugh was the small bowl outlet - especially when you consider some of the monsters that will be going south into that baby

 

[HarryM]

Thanks all for the reply, and I'm grateful for your help.

Just to clarify, this is a top quality (or at least top price ) toilet and seat. The hinges are chrome, the studs steel, and the wing nuts brass. The only plastic items are the washers which appear to be of nylon. It seems to align OK, but it does move with use.

What I think I need is something to bed the washers, etc., to the pan, and fill the space between the studs and the holes. Silicon won't do as it's too flexible, and Plumber's Mate doesn't set.

What do people use if they want a bedding compound that sets hard?

 

[ChrisR]

htgeng's loo is "tested to 2000 lb".

Party?

 

[kevplumb]

should work

 

[ChrisR]

Harry - I think you'll find silicone OK, but there's always car body filler, araldite, gripfill... You'd never get it out then of course.

 

[HarryM]

Thanks Chris,

What did plumbers use as a bedding compound before silicon was available? I seem to remember taking off old taps that were bedded down with a hard white substance, but it wasn't so strong that it couldn't be removed if necessary.