American Standard Cadet 3 Three Toilet consumer product review

**Dunbar Plumbing** · 11-01-2009, 11:12 PM

Installed a Cadet 3 today. I never try to crank down the tanks till they bottom out to the sanitary bar. I tighten down enough for a firm connection and no leaks, nothing more. I've been telling customers how to get those flappers without costing them money.

Seems I've replaced a lot of toilets lately.

**vtxdude** · 12-02-2009, 07:29 PM

I also just replaced my 2 toilets with Cadet 3's. I had someone who was a plumber years ago install them for me. One thing I noticed is that the top of the tanks were loose...you could rock them a bit back and forth. I stumbled upon this thread and have picked up a few tips...

I got out my deep socket 13mm ratchet and started to tightened a bit as they were sort of loose I had the level on there and tightened them down pretty good Used a level and horizontal wise it is dead on that way but front to back it is tilting forward ever so slightly so says the level...is this ok?

**vtxdude** · 12-03-2009, 02:47 PM

Oh let me add one other thing and have no idea if this means anything....I tightened down as I mentioned above so that there is just a tiny little bit of space between the tank and the bowl in front and looks almost the same on the back.....so it looks very similar to the picture about 5 replies up...although as I said it slopes forward a bit(with the level I see no way I could raise the front of it to match the back, it seems too much)

Anyways being the curious one on who things work I wanted to see how this gasket seals and did not know that the inner seal is under the flapper...So I took a peek and I see that the black ring on the "inside" of the drain is not uniform all the way around..it is squished in in some spots and uniform in others..I take it that is from me tightening the tank down

Now is this ok as it compresses down as you make it tight or am I just being really weird noticing this. I just don't want to have a floor full of water one day.....but I figure if people are tightening them down to where the bowl just about makes contact with the tank they should have a similar result?

Just trying to learn from you guys who know this stuff in and out

Thank you

**moisheh** · 12-04-2009, 07:48 AM

I have been following this thread as we are in the market for a new toilet. I guess I am way behind when it comes to the world of toilets. I have lived in homes where the toilet was 20 years old and other than replacing the float system with a Fluidmaster the toilet worked well. I also have a pubic toilet at my business that is used by truck drivers. It is about 15 years old and is a cheap made in Columbia toilet. Works fine. Now you need to be an engineer to get a good toilet. We winter in Mexico and need a new toilet to replace a Mansfield that I hate. I ws considering the Cadet as we have a Cadet 1.6 that is 15 years old in our simmer cottage. Works great. I think I paid about $160 which was a little pricey 15 years ago. After reading this thread I think I will pass on the Cadet. We are 300 miles from an American home depot and I do not want to puchase something that likely will be faulty. The plumbing supply stores in Mexico and Home Depot Mexico sell a lot of those new dual flush toilets. They scare me. Too many things to go wrong and parts not readily available. We do not have a water meter so saving water is not really important. I do see some American Standard toilets but have not checked to see where they were built. A lot of the expensive toilets here are manufactured in other Latin American countries. Our water is quite good right now but once the town well gets a little older the quality will deteriorate and become very salty. Hard on toilets. Question : Is there a 1.6 toilet that will flush well and use standard components?

Thanks

Moisheh

**Alan Muller** · 12-04-2009, 11:46 AM

I just installed a Cadet 3 1.28 gpf: 3378.128.020. Listed as a flo-wise in the MAP report but not on the box. It has a normal flapper not the raised flapper Champion-type I was expecting from Am. Std. literature.

It flushes OK, surprising considering the very low head available. The flapper action isn't entirely consistent, leading to some variations in flush and bowl fill. Maybe I need to fiddle with the chain as others have mentioned?

Better, I think to buy the bowl and tank separately. Big box is hard to manage. Cheesy steel hold-down bolts I didn't use. Wax ring with plastic nozzle in it and I don't use those. Seat is no more than usable.

Overall: OK, or a bit more than OK for the price, but not a Toto.

am

**davefoc** · 12-04-2009, 11:25 PM

Originally Posted by Alan Muller

I just installed a Cadet 3 1.28 gpf: 3378.128.020. Listed as a flo-wise in the MAP report but not on the box. It has a normal flapper not the raised flapper Champion-type I was expecting from Am. Std. literature.

It flushes OK, surprising considering the very low head available. The flapper action isn't entirely consistent, leading to some variations in flush and bowl fill. Maybe I need to fiddle with the chain as others have mentioned?

Better, I think to buy the bowl and tank separately. Big box is hard to manage. Cheesy steel hold-down bolts I didn't use. Wax ring with plastic nozzle in it and I don't use those. Seat is no more than usable.

Overall: OK, or a bit more than OK for the price, but not a Toto.

am

Thanks for the info.

I agree about the seat and have generally replaced the cheesy plastic seat they come with, although I have usually bought the tank and bowl separately so I haven't had to deal with the seat. However, I have installed at least one with the cheesy plastic seat (CPC) and I'd have to say that if you don't mind a CPC they hold up pretty well. The various wooden seats that I've installed in my apartment building over the years haven't held up all that well. My current standard is a $20 wood one with nickel hardware that I buy from Lowes and I don't think those last as well as the CPC's. and do I get even one more dollar of rent money on my apartments because I haven't been installing CPC's? I doubt it. Maybe the CPC's aren't so bad.

As to the throw away the wax ring because it has the plastic nozzle:
I think I've heard this before on this forum. I have always bought the ones with the plastic nozzles. Maybe I shouldn't? What's the issue?

**Alan Muller** · 12-05-2009, 08:36 AM

Originally Posted by davefoc

Thanks for the info.

As to the throw away the wax ring because it has the plastic nozzle:
I think I've heard this before on this forum. I have always bought the ones with the plastic nozzles. Maybe I shouldn't? What's the issue?

I used to use them too, then thought about it and wondered "why put in a nozzle smaller than either the bowl outlet or the line it feeds into? What can be the benefit of creating that obstruction?" (Just measured the ring that came with the Cadet: nozzle outlet is about 2-9/19". Measured a Harvey's at about 2-5/8".)

I'm not a plumber and don't set toilets that often. I try to measure each job and usually there is about 1/4" for wax, and the horn of the bowl sticks down into the flange. So the wax is only a gas seal unless the line is plugged and backing up.

I can see there might be a use for the plastic nozzle in case of a depressed flange or bowl with a broken horn or.....

**jadnashua** · 12-05-2009, 05:52 PM

If the ring is not centered properly in the flange, the whole funnel can collapse and block things off. Also, if the flange height isn't where it should be, that little extra thickness of the plastic can allow a leak path if it gets warped.

**etienne1102** · 12-06-2009, 08:23 AM

Folks -

I have a Cadet 3 10" rough-in toilet. Got it during a remodeling project bad dream (thus no desire for warranty work) a couple of years ago. Eventually it got installed into a spot that could have taken a 12" rough-in, but....

Anyway - from day 1, it runs because that flap ears pop the tube every time it's flushed. We've adjusted the chain to every possible position. Got American Standard to send me a new one. I've read the reviews on here - seemingly very positive - but as far as I am concerned this thing is poorly designed. I am not a plumber, but I am pretty handy - but this thing has me stumped and my wife has explained - correctly - that she has had enough.

Sugggestions? I do not WANT to spend the money on a new toilet, but if that's what it takes - so be it.

Thanks to all in advance!

Steve

**maddog** · 12-06-2009, 08:46 AM

Look for the Korky replacement flapper for the Cadet 3 - you should be able to find it a big-box store or Ace HW. They seem to work better than the ones from American Standard.

**dmtrunner** · 12-06-2009, 02:27 PM

More than one sales person told me there is slight rock built into the Cadet 3 tank attachment system to keep it from breaking if a person leans back against the tank. They say this avoids breaking it. All toilets in my homes up to now are rigid and fit very snug to the bowl.

After installation by a professional installer, there is slight rock on both of the Cadet 3 toilets. I don't know what to expect. What is the standard? Does anyone know.

**Terry** · 12-06-2009, 02:44 PM

You might want to peel the paper wrapper off of the toilet supply.

I think you will have to live with the large gap between bowl and tank.

**dmtrunner** · 12-06-2009, 02:46 PM

I bought two Cadet 3 toilets based on recommendations from sales people and did compare it to a Toto. I felt this was the right toilet not based on price but on a cleaner bowl.

Both toilets had defects. One had a small portion where it was brown on the bowl, I guess it was not glazed properly the second had a broken tank top. I have read similar stories about poor quality control. If I buy any more toilets I plan to visually inspect them before I take them home.

**Runs with bison** · 12-07-2009, 02:04 PM

Why can't they simply make an appropriate tank to bowl gasket for this toilet? Rock or lean of the tank is unacceptable and earns a "FAIL" rather than a "fantastic toilet" rating.

You gotta wonder about an outfit that can figure out a 10 cent solution.

**Runs with bison** · 12-07-2009, 03:08 PM

Originally Posted by Ian Gills

Hmmmmm. So there's no tank rock on Totos either?

I doubt that.

Not on my three Drakes. (I just checked them all for you, mate.

) When a tank is installed with a proper thickness gasket and makes three point contact with the porcelain it shouldn't be able to rock--porcelain is not appreciably compressible. Rocking is an indication of a defective or improperly installed tank.

A little tank movement is normal for most toilets, except one-piece of course.

I doubt that it is normal for a properly built and installed tank.

Tank movement of a one-piece would indeed be bad...has American Standard managed that trick yet?