How tight to make the nuts 2 (or too)

Hi all. Great forum!

Just like Macd, I also embarked on installing a toilet this weekend, this is my first time. I bought and AS Cadet 3.

It went in really easy, however, I can't get it to not wobble. I tightened the bolts until the washers started to bend.

I also got a wax seal with a plastic horn.

Based on Macd's thread, I pulled the toilet. It sits still on the floor, so I am sure its not warped.

The wax gasket was crushed and squished out of the way. There was none left on top of the flange. The plastic horn was nicely down in a groove at the rop of the flange. When I pulled the old toilet, there are a plastic piece in the that I removed and discarded.

Looking across the floor, the flange and the surrounding ceramic tille are pretty much flush, that flange my be slightly hight, but not much.

What should I do, besides get another way gasket without the plastic?


I am of to the store

In looking closely with no gasket in the equation, the ceramic tile the the front of toilet is slightly higher than the others that the toilet base sits on. That's why the sides of the base are every so slightly off the floor.

I am thinking wooden shims?

You're exactly right about the shims. But the big box stores and hardware stores sell "toilet shims" that are plastic, much better than wood. You don't want to compress the wax and then raise the toilet up again with a shim. Fit it dry and get your shims in place. Make sure it is level side-to-side and front-to-back; then install it with the wax ring.

Got the plastic shims. Thanks for the "how to" tip; I would have done it the wrong way left to my own devices.

Will report back when I am done.

Shims worked like a charm. Thanks for the advice. 1 old toilet down; 2 to go.