As the Mountings, for the upstairs toilet seat, fell apart, I was faced with the choice of stripping out the toilet, so as to be able to get at the bottom (no pun) of the two bolts which held the seat in place, or using the more modern approach of using two top fixing bolts, which would mean that a new seat could be fitted fairly easily.
Taking the toilet out would mean chiselling away the grout, pulling the toilet forward, and refitting to the “through the wall” drain pipe. Then re-installing the toilet.
In the event, I took the lazy way out and bought the one with top fixing bolts which, simply, work with a plastic insert (like a big rawlplug) as you tighten the two screws.
This was fairly easy to do & the job was completed.
However, I find that the screws don’t appear to get tight enough and the seat moves.
I also find that a socket of the correct size allows me to tighten the plastic wing nut tighter. I use my singers still & allow the end of the bolt to go through the top of the socket.
There might be someone who has succeeded without having to disconnect the toilet from the mains & the drain and withdraw it from it’s sealed in position against the tiles & the floor tiles.
The seat is advertised as “top Fitting”, which is whi I bought it.
We bought a new one last year and although Husband fitted it correctly, laugh if you have to… but the hole was wrong because actually the toilet seat was wider making the hole too small for comfort…
So I took it off with a big sigh or similar… We or rather I chose another one a few days later…And it has moved on occasions as well…but solved with tighening up. They are not so easy to fit for sure.
The first time I watched this operation in progress, had to leave the room.
…He came out a good half an hour later…
I also think it would be good to have a Bidet…like we did in our Spanish place
I had the same issue after my late partner decided that a self closing wooden seat was what she wanted. Whilst DIY holds no fears I have not done much plumbing so do not have the correct tools something I also found out when she decided she wanted a new bathroom sink.
I discovered that the bolts were far longer than they needed to be so I cut them, I was then able to get a socket onto the nut to tighten them.
Failing that bruising your knuckles with a spanner is another way.
You might remember the escapade of the Basin here, the porcelain leg fell and smashed…forcing Husband to create wooden legs…they still move when I slide the mop past them, gingerly as well…
Arrhh and another thing Husband forgot to put the chrome covers over the fixings…Now he said they cant be undone to put in place…sneaking suspicions, he is fibbing…
We have not been without bidets in our bathrooms since we bought our first house during our first year of marriage. How others manage their personal hygiene without such facilities, I refuse to imagine
This is an inherent problem with all of those top-only fixing seat fittings. The only sure fixing method I have found over the years was my own design. Into each seat fixing hole, I set a stainless nut (of the size to match a fixing bolt) into the china with an epoxy 2-part hard setting gap filling adhesive and made sure of correct alignment by using a threaded bar of the correct thread/size. Only when completely set was the seat actually fixed. All the other expansion type fixings can only be completely effective if good firm tightening does not crack the china. A friend tried a couple of toggle bolts and successfully cracked his pan. He ended up buying a complete new pan & cistern set from B&Q for a tad under £50 and that even came with a conventionally fitting seat …job done!!
Luckily I bought some much more industrial strength fixings and I’ve just managed to get it all tight.
A quick Bum Jiggle and nothing moved. (no pun intended).
The quick fit plastic rawlplug, which came in the package, was nothing compared to the powerful rubber device with bolt and nut. (from a Hardware Shop), and the makers of this one knew what they were doing!
I see you mentioned “rubber” there.
My pricey Ideal Standard WC with soft-close seat came with cheap fittings (not just for the seat) and I too ended up buying a far more substantial seat bolt fitting from a DIY shop which uses a rubber compression-type fitting and - over three years now - that has worked extremely well in my experience.
Yes the seat has needed tightening a few times in those three years, but only a few and I can live with that.
