I noticed that my toilet, while seemingly bolted down to the floor, can be moved and probably lifted it it was tried! I tightened the bolts but it does not seem that they are hooked to the whatever it is they SHOULD be hooked to! Since I have to remove the toilet, I will have to change the wax O ring in the process and just want to know the correct way to do both. Thanks for any help you can send. Mike F

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Originally Posted by mikef860

I noticed that my toilet, while seemingly bolted down to the floor, can be moved and probably lifted it it was tried! I tightened the bolts but it does not seem that they are hooked to the whatever it is they SHOULD be hooked to! Since I have to remove the toilet, I will have to change the wax O ring in the process and just want to know the correct way to do both. Thanks for any help you can send. Mike F

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Once you remove the toilet you will probably see the problem. Clean the old wax ring off the bottom of the toilet and the flange. Use old rags or paper towels. It is really messy. Look at the bolts and make sure they haven't rusted. I would just purchase some new ones when you get the new wax ring. Take an old one with you to get the correct length. Place the new wax ring and bolts on the flange. If you have ceramic tile floor around the flange put a bead of silicone caulk on the bottom edge of the toilet for cushioning between the toilet and the floor. If vinyl tile disregard. Tighten bolts and push down on toilet to make sure it won't rock. A bead of caulk(any color) around base of toilet and you are done!

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Originally Posted by mikef860

I noticed that my toilet, while seemingly bolted down to the floor, can be moved and probably lifted it it was tried! I tightened the bolts but it does not seem that they are hooked to the whatever it is they SHOULD be hooked to! Since I have to remove the toilet, I will have to change the wax O ring in the process and just want to know the correct way to do both. Thanks for any help you can send. Mike F

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Hey Mike,
Patty gave you pretty good instructions on setting the bowl but I'm concerned that the flange might be broke and not holding the closet bolts, ( they're made of brass so they can't rust out.) If the slots in the flange are broken youwon't have to pull and replace the flange. They make a flange repair kit, (see image) and most hardware stores sell them. Just touching all bases here. Good luck, Tom

Tom is right on, the johnnie bolts don't rust but flanges can crack so check that out carefully. I do not apply the wax ring to the flange but to the toilet and then lower in place. Tighten the bolts and give it the wiggle test, walk away for a break and then come back and retighten before you cut off the excess bolt with a hack saw blade. Tom's flange repair kit has made me a hero more than once.

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Originally Posted by ballengerb1

Tom is right on, the johnnie bolts don't rust but flanges can crack so check that out carefully. I do not apply the wax ring to the flange but to the toilet and then lower in place. Tighten the bolts and give it the wiggle test, walk away for a break and then come back and retighten before you cut off the excess bolt with a hack saw blade. Tom's flange repair kit has made me a hero more than once.

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Soryy guys but I just removed a toilet that had been there for 25 years and the nuts on the bolts were rusted to hell. I guess the caulk,wax ring and bolts with rusted nuts were what was holding the toilet. Had to really cut through the caulk to get the toilet off.
Patty G

That might be because someone earlier in history used the wrong nuts. Nuts and bolts have been brass my entire life when it comes to flange bolts. Some early falnges were made of steel and they could rust or break. The rest of my installation is correct including putting the ring on the toilet and not the flange.