I've just replaced some toilet tank hold down bolts. The bolts pass through a hole in the tank and have rubber washers on each side of the porcelain, metal washers on the rubber washers, the bolt head on the metal washer inside the tank, and a hex nut on the metal washer outside the tank. How tight should this be?
How Tight Should Plumbing Bolts Be ?
- Thread starter JIMMIEM
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Do NOT put the metal washers inside of the tank, water will leak between the bolt head and the washer. Ask me how I know.
If you bring them down together, you can usually get them pretty tight. Push down on the side of the tank as you tighten that side a little bit, then do the same to the other side, lather, rinse, repeat. Occasionally I have to use soft plastic shims to get the tank to stop rocking.
If you bring them down together, you can usually get them pretty tight. Push down on the side of the tank as you tighten that side a little bit, then do the same to the other side, lather, rinse, repeat. Occasionally I have to use soft plastic shims to get the tank to stop rocking.
How did you know?
I have seen that done a time or 2 and they didn't leak.
The installer just got lucky.
You don't really need the neoprene washer on the bottom side of tank.
If you have room to double nut it, use a brass washer and nut on the bottom.
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How did you know?
I have seen that done a time or 2 and they didn't leak.
The installer just got lucky.
You don't really need the neoprene washer on the bottom side of tank.
If you have room to double nut it, use a brass washer and nut on the bottom.
The instructions that came with the bolts said to put a metal washer inside the tank between the bolt head and rubber washer as your leftmost diagram shows and a hex nut on the underside of the tank without either a rubber or metal washer. I understand your reasoning for not using the metal washer and letting the underside of the bolt head seal to the rubber washer so what is the manufacturer's reasoning? Did they buy extra metal washer that they want to sell?
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You have 2 experienced plumbers giving you advice, now you have 3
you can take that advice or read the directions that were printed in ? china ?
its up to you
As with many other products, the ones who design them, are not the ones out installing them. A lot of times you gotta out smart the suits.
I also don't use the washers inside the tank.
I also don't use the washers inside the tank.
If I remove the metal washers do you think I may have deformed the rubber washers and should I get new ones? Are there any differently designed washers that would work better than the ones that came with the bolts?
