Removing a toilet seat

Ganga

You need a deep socket or cheaper option a box spanner ,toolstation do a set for about £10 which should do the job.

Gavin83

Can you get the screws out of the connection to the seat itself? An impact driver would do it but you might struggle with a normal screwdriver or even a drill.

twopenny

You could try spraying with wd40 or toothbrush and thick washing up liquid such as the one named after a winged person...
Try and get some between the nut and the porcelain and give the screws a good scru leaving it on. Don't add water.
I've achieved a lot by persisting with these two things.
Heat may help too

Short handled pliers can help loosen in difficult areas. The length and shape of the working end is many and varied.

It may also be worth looking around some independent diy shops for short handled spanners, wrenches etc. The major retailers are selling for bigger jobs and trade.
I recently found a short handled hammer which I love because you have greater control for small items.

ThisIsWeird

The nuts and thread are in good, corrosion-free condition. Once the nut is loosened, it should come off the rest of the way with no issues.

The only problem here is the poor access, so the OP should buy a tool that'll do the job but also remain useful for many others. A box spanner set - whilst the ideal tool for the job - is unlikely to have much further use, and the new seat will likely have wing nuts for manual handling so no tools required.

(I guess a once-used tool can always be put on FB and will usually sell for, say, half the price.)

A mole wrench would hopefully catch that nut at a verticalish angle, positioned alongside the threaded rod. A small adjustable spanner is likely to get directly on the nut from one side, but will only be able to undo the nut one flat at a time before needing repositioning. But both of these should do the job and are really useful tools to have.

One turn, and almost certainly the rest can be done by hand.

Oh, and when looking upwards,  still make sure you are undoing the nut the correct anti-clock!

Cactus_Flowers

Thanks for the advice, all. Unfortunately, I've still not managed to get the nut loosened at all - I've tried using a box spanner (bought before I saw @ThisIsWeird's good advice about a better-value tool ) and some hefty pliers, and although the nut is definitely turning I think the screw is going with it and nothing I do seems to help.

The only remaining option I can see is to get the chrome cap off somehow, so I can try to brace the bolt with a screwdriver/allen key and then work on the nut?  If that's the only thing I can do, does anyone know how I can cut off the cap without either 1. damaging the toilet itself, or 2. cutting my own hand off? I was hoping it would just pop off somehow but it's definitely attached to the screw.

subjecttocontract

If you haven't got or can't borrow a suitable box spanner......both Screwfix & Toolstation sell box spanner sets.

Mnoee

I'd either brace the bolt from underneath with pliers, and use more pliers (or a mole wrench or small spanner - I just have loads of pliers for some reason!) to try to turn the nut, or take a junior hacksaw with a metal blade to the nut and bolt to cut the lot off. I'd try to position the saw between the nut and the washer. Alternatively, use the saw to cut through the chrome caps and any screws horizontally, flat against the toilet. Maybe through the plastic washer thing? Takes ages, hard work, but those little saws will go through metal just fine. Eventually. 

I'm very much an amateur DIYer, there might be better solutions. Just what I'd do with the bits I have in my garage! 

Eldi_Dos

Cactus_Flowers said:

Thanks for the advice, all. Unfortunately, I've still not managed to get the nut loosened at all - I've tried using a box spanner (bought before I saw @ThisIsWeird's good advice about a better-value tool ) and some hefty pliers, and although the nut is definitely turning I think the screw is going with it and nothing I do seems to help.

The only remaining option I can see is to get the chrome cap off somehow, so I can try to brace the bolt with a screwdriver/allen key and then work on the nut?  If that's the only thing I can do, does anyone know how I can cut off the cap without either 1. damaging the toilet itself, or 2. cutting my own hand off? I was hoping it would just pop off somehow but it's definitely attached to the screw.

If the nut is turning and the threaded rod is moving with it just keep going as the threaded rod should disengage from the fitting holding the seat in place.

ThisIsWeird

As Eldi says. If the nut and threaded rod are both turning, then it should be unscrewing from inside that top chrome cap. Keep going!

The round chrome cap - unless it's completely different to all the others I've seen - is a one-piece cast metal item, with the threaded holes for these rods moulded in. There will be no lifting off of that cap, unless you completely break it - and that could be dodgy to the ceramic pan.

So, are you certain it isn't undoing?! And BOTH hinges are behaving exactly the same?! Try again!

(Tbh, the box spanners you bought are the best tool for the job, no question. It's just that they might have limited further use. If so, stick them on Fb Marketplace at half price...)

Mistral001

If the nut and threaded bar is turing together, that does not necessarily mean that it will unscrew from the fitting above the ceramic bowl.  I would try gripping the threaded rod tight with grip lock pliers and then try turning the nut. 

PS.  I would take my time and be very careful as it is very easy to crack  ceraminic when trying to undo nuts in and around it.  I know from experience!