Fixing the toilet lid: how to remove the old and install a new toilet seat

A sanitary fixture, which is an integral part of the toilet room of modern housing, is called a toilet bowl. The device itself is quite simple, quite understandable to a person inexperienced in plumbing. However, even the usual fastening of the toilet lid often raises questions from people. No wonder, given that, depending on the model, the fasteners and the configuration of the toilet lids differ dramatically.

Models of modern production are structures that are mounted on the wall (suspended) or on the floor (floor). In turn, floor-mounted plumbing is further divided into types:

• toilet bowls complete with a tank;
• tank and bowl as separate components;
• appliances that are firmly attached to the wall.

The materials for the manufacture of sanitary ware are porcelain or faience. In terms of operational properties, faience is inferior to porcelain.

Porcelain toilet bowl equipped with a toilet seat made of high quality plastic. Such models for floor installation are prestigious and expensive products. Nickel-plated fittings are used to fasten the cover

The drain system of toilet bowls operates on the basis of manual push-button control. There are also models where the drain process is controlled by electronics. According to the standards, the height from the floor to the top of the appliance cover should be 400 mm. The parameter for static load is 200 kg. This information can come in handy when it comes time to tackle your home toilet seat mount.

The design of the toilet seat

For modern models, covers (stools) are made, as a rule, on the basis of plastic (Duroplast, polypropylene, thermodur, supralit, etc.). This material is considered to be positively hygienic and therefore is welcomed as optimal, despite the rather weak load properties. True, the properties of the toilet seat largely depend on the quality of the plastic structure, as well as on the design features of the mounting system.

Toilets can be considered universal products, because in most cases, due to their compatibility, there are no questions: how to remove a broken toilet seat from a toilet bowl and how to install a new seat on a toilet bowl. In addition, it is possible to pick up chairs during the replacement process:

• soft;
• semi-rigid;
• hard.

In this case, the fasteners from the seat kit can be plastic or metal. According to the design, fasteners are made in different shapes and sizes. But in general, the principle of fastening remains the same, despite the variety of models.

Elements for fastening the lid and seat on the toilet. This is the simplest version of mounting hardware, which is often used on budget models. During installation, the nuts are tightened by hand with little effort.

Saddle covers on modern toilets feature an impressive variety of movement mechanisms. Variations - from the simplest hinged mechanisms to soft-closing mechanics and electronic bidet covers with presence sensors.

Depending on the specific model, there is a possibility of encountering such fasteners for a home toilet seat, when a careful study of the design features is indispensable. The procedure for removing a conventional toilet seat is simple:

1. Raise the toilet lid (the toilet seat remains lowered).
2. Unscrew the fastening nut from the bottom left under the rear porcelain edge.
3. Do the same operation on the right side.
4. Remove a pair of stool-cover from the toilet bowl.

Plastic nuts are usually freely loosened by hand. By the way, it is not recommended to tighten such fittings strongly, since plastic bolts simply break off from constriction.

Installing a new cover is done in the same way. The holes on the cover must be aligned with the holes on the rear edge of the plumbing, insert the mounting bolts into the mounting holes and screw the nuts onto them from the underside.

There are accessories with washers and without washers. For the “without washers” configuration, universal nuts are made, in which one of the end edges has a washer shape. Often you can find a fastener option for a toilet seat: a metal bolt - a nylon nut. This tandem gives a more reliable grip.

Cover Hinge Mechanisms

Household toilet bowls are usually equipped with toilet seats, the lids of which are planted on plastic, metal-plastic, metal hinges. The design of the dynamic mechanism on a plastic joint is the most common.

On the one hand, the plastic version is good in terms of the absence of the effect of corrosion on the connection elements. But in terms of reliability, plastic hinges are inferior to metal products. Plastic fittings have to be changed more often. As a rule, seats from a range of inexpensive products are equipped with plastic hinges. Metal hinges are often a component of a perfect swivel mechanism - a microlift.

This is one of the options for a simple hinge mechanism. A similar system is used on inexpensive plumbing fixtures. Disadvantage - frequent opening / closing of the lid contributes to the rapid wear of nylon bushings

It may be necessary to remove the plastic hinges, for example, if the cover is damaged and needs to be replaced with a new one. Here you do not need to deal with the removal of the general fastening of the toilet lid, it is enough to remove the hinge shafts.

There are a lot of manufacturers' design solutions for fixing shafts in the mounting groove. The simplest solution is to have a locking pin at one end of the shaft. It is necessary to tighten the pin and pull the shaft out of the hinge hole. Often there are clamps that release the lock by turning them 90-180 degrees counterclockwise. There are also shaft clamps with screws and screws.

Installation on a toilet seat with one of the simplest hinge designs:

1. Align the holes of the toilet seat ears and the cover.
2. Insert the nylon sleeve into the hole on the inside of the toilet seat.
3. Place the end of the metal pin inside the nylon sleeve.
4. Do the same for the opposite hinge.
5. String decorative washers and spacers on the studs.
6. Place the entire structure on the toilet by inserting the studs into the mounting holes.

The procedure ends with fixing by screwing the nuts onto the studs from the bottom edge of the toilet bowl.

The mechanism of the "micro-lift" series

Increasingly, toilet sanitary ware is appearing on the market, equipped with seats, the cover of which is set in motion by a semi-automatic mechanism - a microlift. How is a lifter seat installed on a toilet? Just like a standard toilet seat. The mounting scheme is practically the same. But the hinge mechanism of such a model has some features that will have to be taken into account in case of repair.

The hinge mechanism in the design of the "microlift" system. Often it is a design that is easy to disassemble, but extremely difficult to assemble without compromising performance. True, the degree of complexity of "microlifts" are different

The mechanics of the microlift is built on the following details:

• stock;
• spring;
• piston;
• cylinder.

Usually, the wear of any of these elements or breakage forces the toilet seat to be removed in order to install a new one. Repairing a microlift is quite difficult for people without relevant experience. Meanwhile, a common reason for the failure of the microlift is the banal "descent" of lubricant from the surface of the piston cylinders. Such a defect appears as a result of forced pressure on the cover by the users themselves - an attempt to forcibly lower the seat.

If desired, some designs of microlifts can be disassembled and try to restore a uniform distribution of damper lubricant over the entire surface of the cylinder. But for most owners, it's easier to buy a new seat cover along with a lifter. You can also try to order a separate lift system from the manufacturer for a specific toilet model.

The installation kit usually contains two studs with pads, two gaskets, two nuts and two lifters.

To install a new seat with a microlift on the toilet body, the following steps are performed (one of the existing options):

• put microlifts on the pins of patches-platforms;
• put the seat cover upside down on the floor;
• insert the bushings of the microlifts into the holes of the hinged ears;
• left microlift on the left (mark L), right on the right (mark R);
• on the back edge of the toilet, over the existing holes, put gaskets;
• install the seat together with the microlift on the toilet by inserting the studs into the holes;
• fasten the entire structure from below with nuts from the kit.

There are developments, for example, by the well-known company Roca, where microlifts are rigidly fixed to the seat body. At the time of installation of the seat, the user only needs to insert the brackets into the mounting holes of the toilet bowl, wrap them with the hex key included in the kit. Then pick up the seat and carefully put it on the protrusions of the brackets with the holes that are on the bushings of the microlift mechanism. Finally fix the insert with screws.

Selection criteria for replacement

If it so happened that the issue of replacing the toilet seat arose, you need to pick up a toilet seat-lid for the existing plumbing. It is recommended to measure the plumbing fixture in terms of dimensions and shape. You should also clarify the location of the mounting holes under the seat.

The size in width is measured at the points of the greatest "run-up" of the structure. The length dimension is taken from the edge of the frontal part of the curb to the point of the center line passing between the centers of the holes intended for fastening the toilet seat.

Standard dimensions of plumbing for different designs. Based on these parameters, a toilet seat is selected in case of a new installation to replace the old toilet seat. If you know these dimensions, choosing the right seat configuration is easy.

Often, toilet owners who have had to change the toilet seat prefer to choose more advanced models instead of the standard design. This choice is explained by their desire for novelty.

Meanwhile, new items “heated”, “backlit”, “with motion sensors” turn into even bigger problems in practice. A serious plumbing manufacturer is not yet in a hurry to offer such an “exclusive” to the buyer. Such offers come, as a rule, from Chinese firms.

Exclusive toilet seats

Plumbing fixtures for the toilet, equipped with electronics, have long ceased to amaze. Recently, toilets have also come close to the electronic fraternity. Regulators for draining, water intake, disinfection, filtration - these functions become integral parts of bidets and urinals.

Some of these functions are also used on toilet seats. So, heated seats are quickly gaining popularity. The installation of the electric model is basically the same as that of the standard version. The only addition is cable laying and installation of an electrical outlet.

Toilet from the group of "exclusive" products. In addition to the usual functions, the device is equipped with an additional "chip" - a seat heating system. For the installation of such plumbing, an additional supply of electrical communications is required.

The designs of models with bowl illumination are not entirely clear - what benefit do they bring to a visitor to the toilet? Nevertheless, these solutions remain relevant due to the stability of their demand in the market.

The installation of a backlit seat should provide for the laying of an electrical network in the toilet room. At the same time, there are models of seat covers where the backlights are powered by batteries. Batteries are built directly into the seat structure. You can not do without the installation of electrical communications and in the case of the use of toilet bowls with a motion control function.

Problems when replacing a seat

Some problems when replacing a toilet seat or lid can occur on plumbing that has served the owners for several years. Especially often, the removal of fasteners on an old toilet seat is complicated if metal bolts and nuts that are prone to corrosion were used.

The high level of humidity in the area of ​​the toilet is created by the water present in the cistern. This is the main reason for the appearance of rust and oxides on the thread. Unscrewing the nuts from the mounting bolts in this condition is extremely difficult, and sometimes impossible, using traditional methods. We have to resort to drastic measures.

Metal fasteners of toilet plumbing fixtures, which do not have protection against oxides and corrosion, have the properties of "boil". Unscrew the nuts in such cases, only non-standard approaches help

So, if the thread of a bolt or stud is damaged by corrosion and twisting the nut is not possible even with a wrench, you can solve the problem as follows:

1. Use an electric drill.
2. Insert a drill with a diameter slightly less than the wall thickness of the nut into the drill chuck.
3. Carefully drill the nut from its bottom edge to the top.
4. Insert a suitable metal rod into the hole.
5. Try to "break" the nut with the swinging efforts of the rod.

Sometimes a similar situation occurs on plastic fittings. It happens that during installation (during cleaning) the threaded part of the stud is accidentally damaged. A defect in the plastic thread will also prevent the seat mount from being removed in the usual way. If it is not possible to twist the nuts with a tool, they can be cut off with a sharp thin knife, after heating the knife blade to the plastic melting point (120-130º C).

Part of the seat fittings with covers is made of brass and bronze. This metal is not susceptible to corrosion, but has the ability to quickly oxidize in the presence of moisture. Oxides, in turn, form "growths" on the thread, which over time become comparable in hardness to the same metal.

To unscrew such connections, their preliminary wetting (and time delay) with engine oil helps. It is easy and convenient to apply lubricant to the connection with a plastic disposable syringe.

Installation video instruction

The installation video will help you get the seat on gas lifts faster.

The toilet bowl is a household plumbing fixture, the frequency of use of which is incommensurable with the operation of other household accessories. Therefore, it is not surprising that many citizens are puzzled by the problem of removing one seat from the toilet and then replacing it with another. But this task is solvable and is done, if desired, with your own hands.