Help - toilet bolt has come loose

oligopoly

Hi. I have a Sanindusa toilet. The toilet seat is connected via of pair of metal bolts and one of these bolts has somehow come unscrewed and has fallen down inside the toilet base. The toilet is siliconed into place and there doesn't seem to be a way of being able able to recover it.

I even tried dangling a magnet down the hole to try and get it, but with no success.

I've looked online but can not find a replacement bolt.

Can anyone please point me in the right direction?

CliveOfIndia

Am I right in assuming that it's not the type of fixing that goes right through the pan, with a wing nut on the bottom?  If so, you'll need to look for what they call a "blind hole fixing".  Basically it's a rubber grommet thing that you push into the hole, then when you tighten the screw the grommet expands, making it secure.  Here's an example, just for illustration: https://www.amazon.co.uk/toilet-seat-blind-hole-fixing/s?k=toilet+seat+blind+hole+fixing

The problem you may have is finding one that's the right size/design for your seat.  Can you remove the broken bolt from the seat to have a look and see how it's fitted?

Worst case, it's not too expensive to buy a replacement seat complete with fixings.  A basic seat can be had for about £25 or so, unless you want something really fancy, and easily available from loads of places online, DIY shops, etc.  Just measure the existing seat (and distance between the bolt holes) to make sure it's the right size.

oligopoly

Aha yes those blind hole fixings look like they might do the job. Will measure up, thank you!

Exodi

I have a similar toilet/fixing - CliveOfIndia is spot on with their all their advice, including the worse case scenario that a replacement toilet seat wouldn't set you back much either.

FinaceFave

I tend to do what a lot of other people do-----get a plumber !!

Exodi

FinaceFave said:

I tend to do what a lot of other people do-----get a plumber !!

Honestly it pays to try things yourself. Replacing the parts would only cost from £5 if you can get away with just the fixings, or from £25 for the seat. I did them myself when I bought my house having never done it before and it was pretty easy.

You can slap £100 on top of that having a plumber doing it, it's not very cost efficient to pay the call out charge + one minimum hour for a 5 minute job unless the OP had a list of other things that needed looking at.

This is a money saving forum after all.

casper_gutman

FinaceFave said:

I tend to do what a lot of other people do-----get a plumber !!

In addition to the points made by @Exodi above, a further point is that replacing a toilet seat isn't really "plumbing". It wouldn't be efficient to pay a professional with qualifications covering water supply regulations, gas safety, pressure vessels etc. when all that's needed is to replace a mechanical fastener. If you can't DIY this, try and get an honest handy-person rather than a skilled plumber, as their fees should be much lower.

oligopoly

I bought some of these blind hole fixings and I understand the concept, but after fitting them the seat moves around loads! I guess the toilet pan holes are too big for this particular kit. I've contacted the seller....

CliveOfIndia

oligopoly said:

I bought some of these blind hole fixings and I understand the concept, but after fitting them the seat moves around loads! I guess the toilet pan holes are too big for this particular kit. I've contacted the seller....

I guess it's possible that the fixings are too small for the holes, though I must admit I'd be a little surprised - the holes tend to be a standard diameter.  When you were installing the fixings, you should have been able to get a pretty good idea just by the feel as you were tightening them up - you can usually feel whether they're gripping firmly or not.

The other thing to check - and to my mind, potentially more likely - is how the top of the bolt attaches to the seat itself, if you see what I mean.  Whilst the bolts themselves (at least, the bottom bit) tend to be fairly standard, how they attach to the seat can vary slightly by manufacturer.  I'm not sure whether you're able to see whether there's any movement where the bolt attaches to the seat?

oligopoly

CliveOfIndia said:

oligopoly said:

I bought some of these blind hole fixings and I understand the concept, but after fitting them the seat moves around loads! I guess the toilet pan holes are too big for this particular kit. I've contacted the seller....

I guess it's possible that the fixings are too small for the holes, though I must admit I'd be a little surprised - the holes tend to be a standard diameter.  When you were installing the fixings, you should have been able to get a pretty good idea just by the feel as you were tightening them up - you can usually feel whether they're gripping firmly or not.

No, the rubber parts never felt tight or snug in the hole. I think they're just too small for the pan holes. The seller refunded me and told me to keep them... I wonder if some kind of rubber washer/bung might help keep them tight