Anyone have experience with the Unifit adapter?

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JLee

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After years of indecison on the subject of toilet efficacy, I have decided to replace my 1928 "old reliable" toilet in a teeny half bath that has a 14" rough-in. I'm planning to install a TOTO Carlyle with the Unifit adapter and hope for the best. My primary concern is that the Unifit adapter could introduce a potential source for leaks or clogs. Has anyone heard of any drawbacks to the Unifit? I haven't found any plumbers who have experience with them. My alternative is to go to the expense of relocating the rough-in to 12" and opt for the UltraMax. Any advice?

abak_carlyle.jpg

TOTO MS874114SG Carlyle
 
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Jumpyg

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JLee said:
My alternative is to go to the expense of relocating the rough-in to 12" and opt for the UltraMax. Any advice?
The UltraMax can't use the unifit adapter? I think I will have to use one for my 1/2 bath which I plan on remodeling. It also has a 14" rough-in. Is there a list of the Totos that the unifit will work with?
 

JLee

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I'm no expert, but I doubt it, because there is no mention whatsoever of it as an option on TOTO's spec sheet for the UltraMax.
 

Jadnashua

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The adapter looks pretty robust to me - I've got two in my house. I'm not worried!

unifit-install-01.jpg
 
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Clayton

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unifit

The unifit adapter was very unusual installing it my first time, but now after installing several I believe it is a good design. I wouldn't worry about the unifit leaking or causing clogs.

no the ultramax does not use the unifit. All the unifit toilets have the skirted styling.

carolina - carlyle - dorian - pacifica - vespin - carrollton

abak_pacifica.jpg

TOTO Pacifica CST808
 
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PEW

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Have had them installed in our home for several years. Never a problem. Even removed and reinstalled them due to flooring changes.
 

Terry

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install_unifit_6.jpg



Installing the Unifit on tile, pick yourself up a 1/4" tile bit.

Use the plastic anchors and stainless screws that come with the Unifit.
They work fine.

Sometimes tile is uneven. If you have to shim, shim at the back, pinning the front of the bowl down. Caulk around the front.

With the Unifit, I would use wax. You will notice that the underside is not round and centered like their toilets are. Use wax.

If you remove the toilet, the Unift will stay installed.
When dropping the toilet into the Unifit, it will slide in easier if you put some liquid soap on the rubber sleeve.

You will notice that there are some toggle bolts stapled to the Unifit box. These are for attaching the seat. Use these toggle bolts with the rubber outer covering and don't use the plastic bolts that come in the seat box.
This way you can alway tighen or remove the seat without pulling the toilet.

Instruction manual for the Carlyle

toto_seat_toggle.jpg

Seat toggles for the skirted bowls

ms914114-01.jpg
 
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Ho333ard

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Thanks so much for posting this-- I have a Carrollton install w/ 12" unifit in my near future.
Questions-- what does a "tile bit" look like-- maybe I already have one?
Any reason I can't mark the 4 screw holes by placing the unifit adapter in position?
Thx. . .

Terry said:
Installing the Unifit on tile, pick yourself up a 1/4" tile bit.

Use the plastic anchors and stainless screws that come with the Unifit.
They work fine.

Sometimes tile is uneven. If you have to shim, shim at the back, pinning the front of the bowl down. Caulk around the front.

With the Unifit, I would use wax. You will notice that the underside is not round and centered like their toilets are. Use wax.

If you remove the toilet, the Unift will stay installed.
When dropping the toilet into the Unifit, it will slide in easier if you put some liquid soap on the rubber sleeve.

You will notice that there are some toggle bolts stapled to the Unifit box. These are for attaching the seat. Use these toggle bolts with the rubber outer covering and don't use the plastic bolts that come in the seat box.
This way you can alway tighen or remove the seat without pulling the toilet.

Instruction manual for the Carlyle
 
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PEW

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If you are going into tile a carbide bit works fine. Using the unifit adapter as a template for the four holes is the way to go.

You may want to use a punch to gently crack the surface where you will be drilling. It keeps the drill from walking.

Paul
 

Jadnashua

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You can use a glass and tile bit as well, just go slowly and keep it wet (spray bottle will work). These look like an arrowhead. Some tile are VERY hard (PEI 5 porcelain for example), and a carbide bit might barely touch the surface.
 

Ho333ard

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ho333ard said:
Thanks so much for posting this-- I have a Carrollton install w/ 12" unifit in my near future.
Questions-- what does a "tile bit" look like-- maybe I already have one?
Any reason I can't mark the 4 screw holes by placing the unifit adapter in position?
Thx. . .

D'oh, I meant a 10 inch.
Thanks for the responses.
I was a little concerned that there are such elaborate measuring instructions for the screw holes in the manual. Why wouldn't they just assume you'd use the unifit as a template?
Is this install pretty straightforward? I need to arrange help, pull the current toilet, clean away grout-n-stuff, finish grouting the tile behind the toilet, finish painting the wainscotting behind the toilet and tank, and get the new one in, using my help's time efficiently (will need to learn how to do the grout thing too).
 

Spokaneman

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I installed two Vespins with unifits, and in my opinion setting the unifit is way easier than trying to put a wax ring on the bottom of a standard toilet then trying to set in on the flange without damaging the wax ring. I used the unifit as a template, using a carpenters square to make sure it was reasonably square to the wall. I put the wax ring in the unifit, placed it on the flange and basicly stepped on the flat plastic part to compress the wax ring, then wood screwed the four screw holes to the floor (I was going through linoleum). I then made sure it the thing was level with a small level.
The design of the unifit connection to the toilet is great, a little liquid soap on the rubber gasket and it slipped right in,There is a bit of a funnel shape on the unifit to toilet connection so alignment is not supercritical.

Be sure that your toilet bolts are in the unifit before you set the toilet in place. Also, if its a two piece unit, bolt the tank on before setting the toilet. It is not so heavy that you cannot manage to line it up.

I spent more time taking the parts out of the box than the actual installation took.

It is so simple a cave man could do it.

cst474_side.jpg

Toto Vespin II CST474CEFG with SS114 Softclose seat.
This bowl was installed on a 13-1/2" rough-in using the 14" Unifit adapter.
The water shutoff can be as close as 5-1/2" to the left of center, unless it's higher off the floor, and then it can be even closer to center.
This shutoff had been replaced with a new 1/4 turn valve with brass nipple through the wall.
Installation was by James Love of Love Plumbing & Remodel 206-949-5683
In some of the older Seattle homes, the old toilets had been wall mounted tank toilets.
Those typically are 14" rough-in and need a flange repair to use standard closet bolt connections at the flange.
Everything is on the truck for that.
The Vespin comes with a standard 12" adapter or you can order a 10" or 14" adapter depending on your rough-in distance.
 
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Spokaneman

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One more thing, I doubt you will need help, I didn't. That kind of a job, one person is often more effective than two, particularly if the bathroom is small. Toilets aren't all that heavy. If weight is an issue and you are installing a two piece toilet you can install the tank after setting the bowl, its just a bit of a pain trying to get to the lower tank mounting nuts if the toilet is near a perpendicular wall or cabinet.

Similarly if weight is a problem, disassemble the old toilet tank from the bowl before carrying it out.
 

Jadnashua

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It was great fun with a small sledge to demolish my old toilets! Just wear good heavy clothes and eye protection...the shards can be sharp - I carried it out in a heavy duty garbage bag.
 

Spokaneman

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Around here Habitat for Humanity will resell used 3.5 gallon toilets and install good 1.6 gallon toilets in their project houses or sell them to landlords.

They said they can sell all of the 3.5 gallon's they can get thier hands on. I donated mine to them.
 

Terry

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In the Seattle area, the water districts are trying to get all of the old toilets replaced to conserve water.

Every few Summers, we have to ration our water to get by.
You will see a lot of brown lawns in the Summer.

Breaking up toilets can be very dangerous. The shards are glass.
I have a nice 2-1/2" scar on my arm from a broken toilet tank.
It went clear to the tendon.
And I never felt a thing. I just noticed there was a lot of blood on the floor.
 

Ho333ard

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Thanks for all the tips-- I will definitely review this thread in my last minute cramming for the job.

I am an environmentalist-- gave up car ownership 3 years ago--- but convince me that the average 1.6 gallon toilet doesn't require twoce as many flushes as the old ones.

(I'm also an occupational therapist and I've seen more people injured by toilets than you'd think).
 

Spokaneman

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The first generation 1.6'er's required multiple flushes. The good news is a well designed current generation 1.6'er doesn't. Since I installed my Toto's in December, I can honestly say I have had nary a two flusher, nor a single clog. It's truely bathroom nirvana.

I'm not a greenee by any stretch, I just got tired of plunging.
 

TPA

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ho333ard said:
I am an environmentalist-- gave up car ownership 3 years ago--- but convince me that the average 1.6 gallon toilet doesn't require twoce as many flushes as the old ones.

Get a Toto toilet and you'll see. 1 flush does it all. When we first installed them, we intentionally pitched 1/2 a roll of 2-ply toilet paper into the bowl and gave it a flush and yes, a single flush took that mess away.
 

Ho333ard

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TPA said:
Get a Toto toilet and you'll see. 1 flush does it all. When we first installed them, we intentionally pitched 1/2 a roll of 2-ply toilet paper into the bowl and gave it a flush and yes, a single flush took that mess away.

Up an running the better part of a week.
Engineering genius. A double flush now and then, but way less so than the old big-tank toilet.
 
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