Removing toilet seat - stainless steel covers

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D.W

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#242864 17-Nov-2018 20:37

I'm trying to tighten a toilet seat in my house which has become loose, the underside is not accessible but the top side has a metal plate that covers a screw which I believe I can tighten, however the metal covering plate is on so tightly that I cannot get it off to access the screw. I've tried working around the edge with a flat-head screwdriver but have had no success. Anybody else have experience with these and have any tips on how I could get them off?

eracode

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#2128610 17-Nov-2018 20:40

I’ve had a similar experience but hard to tell if we’re talking about the same type of fixing or problem - can you post a photo?

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D.W

719 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2128612 17-Nov-2018 20:52

This part here: http://iforce.co.nz/i/k01muwzm.srw.jpg

This video shows how they should come off from the 1:00 to 1:20 mark: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vjlvRUXyn-E

Unfortunately the screw underneath is loose enough that I can lift it approx. 2 cm, making it very difficult to get any leverage if trying to pry off with a screwdriver.

rscole86

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#2128666 17-Nov-2018 21:58

I have the same style, but have good access underneath when it came to tightening it.

Mine were quite hard to remove, I assume it was never done by the previous owners. Unfortunately I did not have any magic tricks, it just came off eventually. Have you tried packing under the screwdriver to get it more leverage? Ie creating a fulcrum instead of levering off the porcelain?

Amosnz

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#2128673 17-Nov-2018 22:14

I took mine off recently, they were just sitting there and came away easier than in the video.

A word of warning though, if you undo the screw that holds the clip down, don't undo it too far or the nut on the bottom drops off. I found out the hard way mine wasn't fixed in place and had a to buy a new fixing kit.

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esawers

545 posts

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#2128675 17-Nov-2018 22:19

Yeah we bought a toilet last week and were warned about tightening these, it’s a huge cofuffle if you lose the underside bits.

eracode

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#2128700 18-Nov-2018 03:13

Now I see your photo - yours are identical to mine that I mentioned above. I had no access to the nut or whatever on the underside of the loo.

If your screws are loose but the push-fit SS trim caps are tight, I think think the best approach is that mentioned by @rscole86 above - I.e. packing to get a fulcrum etc.

Because the fitting is loose, it will likely tilt when you try to lever the cap off. Maybe pack on two sides opposite each other to keep it level (stop it tilting) when you try levering from one side with a screwdriver. Make sure that the screwdriver is levering only the edge of the cap - and not the whole fitting that’s under the cap. The screwdriver needs to just catch the edge of the cap.

Sometimes I just sit and think. Other times I just sit.

scuwp

3868 posts

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#2128728 18-Nov-2018 08:43

Brute force and persistence to pry them off. Once off you will see the tightening screw, possibly need a bit of upwards pressure on the mounting plate as you tighten to stop the gravity nut underneath from spinning in mid air.

As others have mentioned the gravity but underneath is a one shot deal, unwind it too much and it’s gone.

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Bung

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#2128741 18-Nov-2018 09:33

It's not a given that the nut falls off. On the seat I've just done the nut is trapped in the plastic expanding bush and you'd have to push down on the screw while undoing it to pop it free.
https://www.mondella.com.au/products/toilets/4920460-rococo-toilet-seat-fixing-kit

D.W

719 posts

Ultimate Geek

#2128775 18-Nov-2018 11:11

Thanks for all the replies, ended up packing wood under to create fulcrum to lever off, eventually the entire rubber grommet popped up and I was able to take the entire piece away and pry it off away from the toilet, took a lot of work but got it off in the end.