Flushed with frustration

October 18, 2011 10:27 AM

What's the best way to replace the toilet seat on a one-piece Kohler toilet? I can't reach the back of the seat mounts -- everything is enclosed.

I have only the most basic understanding of toilet repairs, but even I've been able to replace toilet seats before... until now. Since I can't see where the screw comes out, I can't find/loosen the nuts that must be holding these two screws in place. I can loosen one of the screws, but it just twirls endlessly without actually loosening very far. The other screw is held fast and I'm afraid of stripping it.

Googling turns up a lot of complaints about this kind of one-piece Kohler toilet. I don't know exactly what model it is, can't see a model name/number anywhere... Google also tells me there is a $47 tool kit that Kohler sells for this purpose, which outrages me on principle. Is that what should resort to, though? Any advice would be most appreciated -- thank you in advance!

posted by lgandme0717 to Home & Garden (4 answers total)

Is this it?
posted by trogdole at 11:22 AM on October 18, 2011

There's some info here (PDF). If it is the one-piece hinge, there is a post with a keyhole, and you lift the seat and pull to the left. Scroll halfway down the page for diagrams. If it is the French Curve seat with the two nuts underneath, they may be nylon nuts (to prevent over-tightening), and could be cross-threaded and/or stripped. In that case you will damage the nuts, which can be easily replaced. Don't tighten too much when replacing, or you will break the porcelain.
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium at 11:23 AM on October 18, 2011

I had a toilet like this where the nuts were inside the front of the tank all the way at the bottom (the tank was funkily shaped...) Without a photo of your toilet I can't just flat out dismiss it as an option...
posted by milqman at 4:43 PM on October 18, 2011

I have not worked on a Kohler in ages but here is a Rialto PDF that shows the bolts locations etc(most one piece WC's are like this).The seats bolt through the bowl/tank and seals there as well ("standard" wc's do not do this (make sure the new washers are seated well and not too tight (the rubber extrudes out too much)If you are concerned you could add a little silicone on the washers and then let dry for an hour before use.

http://www.us.kohler.com/onlinecatalog/detail.jsp?item=246602&section=2&tab1=3&category=13#lowerTabs

you can see the nuts you need to remove are inside the tank underneath the transition from horizontal bowl to vertical tank.

FYI we never bought special WC seat tools..just take a short piece of copper or steel pipe and cut 1/4 to 3/8 wide vertical slots (1 1/4 long) in the end (looking at the end of the pipe it looks like a cross cut out) this cross of slots will grab just about any type of toilet seat NUT (you can buy the tool as well) This works for 990% of WC seat nuts and makes sure they stay tight! (you may need to tweak each tab in a little bit for certain nut slot sizes) FYI these work for taking bath tub and sink strainers out too :)

http://shop.redballoxygen.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/small_image/135x/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/6/3/632-66807.eps_1_1.jpg


of course the vertical room in the Kohler toilet is low so you may have to make a short version-you could also use a basin wrench. IF the BOLT head is not a standard tool-you can try to create resistance to loosen the in- tank nut by twisting the WC seat or GINGERLY prying the seat post up at the contact point with a slot screw driver (may scratch WC though-last resort)

Another last resort is to hack saw the bolt head and seat post perpendicular to the bowl top.....cut slowly till the bolt head splits in the middle and you can pull the bolt through the WC top (go slow and keep the blade from hitting the porcelain)

Fortunately most residential seat hardware is plastic or brass...not stainless like in institutional products.


I hope this makes some sense and helps.
posted by plumberonkarst at 2:29 AM on October 19, 2011