Kohler toilet seat replacement for one-piece.

[ht4loans]

I have spent 3 days on this but the solution turned out to be simple once I got what was left of the anchor out of the toilet. This requires some patience, wihtout brute strength.
Called Kholer, gave them the product number for the toilet, they gave me the product number for the item, anchor nut #85040. Even has a picture of it on line. Kholer wanted $8.90 for the part, and $7.95 for shipping plus tax.
I got the list of local Kholer parts dealers, called the nearest one on the list. Not in stock but they ordered it for me after e-mailing me an authorization form which I sent back with payment. They had the part sent directly to me from Kholer. Cost: $7.67 TOTAL.

[getirdone]

Thank you for this thread posting.
This thread gave me some guidance on how to deal with Kohler. I experienced the same treatment from Kohler as you guys had posted. As posted, they wanted to charge ~$50 for the anchor kit but insisted I only need the anchor nuts. They mailed 2x anchor nuts (molly-type) part # 85040 and 2x screws part # 84741 which took 30days; I called them back after one week and was told the anchor nut were back-ordered.

Here is the picture of the anchor nut, Kohler PN 85040


Timeline: seat cover broke last week of April. Called my local Kohler Distributor and ordered a seat cover and delivered on May 2. I realized that the new seat cover did not have the correct fastener. So the wifey called and yelled at Kohler so they sent another incorrect hardware set with plastic cone-shaped wing nuts. In the meantime I scoured the WWW and found this thread. I called Kohler May 28 to demand the anchor nuts. Received the correct anchor nuts and screws July2! July 4th new seat cover installed.

Materials:
a) 2x anchor (molly-type) nuts part # 85040 from Kohler
b) 2x 1/4-20x1.5inch screws part # 84741 from Kohler
c) Bought from local hardware store: 1x 1/4-20x1.25in HEX top bolt and several flat washers ~$1.00.
( For nuts/bolts and specialty hardware, I always waste time at HD or Lowes so I go to my favorite neighborhood hardware store. Thank God I have one in my neighborhood. In the Silicon Valley we have one of their store there http://www.olander.com/ )

1)Extract the old seat cover bolts by cutting them off with a hacksaw. Use duck tape to protect the procelain. The lower portion of the bolts will drop into the recess of the toilet that is not part of the water way.

2)Be careful not to damage the porcelain and drill out the remaining part of the old anchor (hard plastic in my case).

3) Insert the anchor nut and gently tapped them into the holes with the butt handle of a hammer.

4) Take the 1/4-20 x 1.25 HEX top bolt and wrap it with teflon tape just in case you want to remove it again in the future. Insert the flat washers onto the bolt. Place the bolt into the anchor nut. The shoulder of the bolt maybe about 0.5inch above the anchor nut

5) Using the socket/rachet, start compressing the anchor (molly-type) nut. As you turn the rachet, the anchor may turn a bit but make sure it stays flush onto the porcelain. The rachet turns should be smooth and with consistent torque until you are to the compression point. Remove the 1/4-20 x 1.25 HEX bolt.
NOTE: if you need to hold the anchor nut from spinning, you can use 1/2in or 13mm thin open-wrench.[/I][/I]

6) Do similar steps with the second anchor nut.

7) Install the new seat cover.....a happy wife is a happy life :-)

[quinten]

I found this posting concerning the same issue.How to repair/replace a Kohler seat that has the anchor bolts

If you have a Kohler toilet that requires the Kohler seat anchor kit 84999, here is an inexpensive alternative
Step 1

If you have one of the Kohlers with the Kohler anchor bolts holding the seat, do not buy the $46 anchor bolt kit 84999.

Step 2

Instead, remove the old anchors and bolts which have an aluminum end which the stainless bolt screws into and over time become corroded together. Use a 1/8" drill and drill around the bolt removing the anchor material until the bolt can be pulled out.

Step 3

Carefully clean the hole with a 11/32" drill to remove all the remaining anchor material.

Step 4

Then go to your local hardware store and buy a 10-32 3/8"x3/4" rubber expansion plug (check to be certain the threaded part is brass and it has a shoulder on one end), a 10-32x1.5" Phillips bolt and a couple of small fender washers to fit the seat. Total cost under $4.00 for two.
5.
Step 5

Assemble being careful to not tighten too much and crack the porcelain.

hope this helps. remember be careful not to chip the porcelain

Thanks for this Alan and TerryLove for giving him a place to say it.

After looking at the pic of the $50 kit I figured they were giving me a tool to pry the broken anchor out. So I used my trusty nail puller with some padding and slowly pried the bad boy out.

The expansion plug I bought was 10-32 3/8"x1.25" easy to find at the local hardware.

Worked like a charm and I didn't have to go all confrontational on Kohler's butt or wait a while.

[orthoake]

The Kohler toilet seat attaches with screws that insert into a hidden metal nut that corrodes making
removal impossible.
The company is of no help.
I solved the problem by sawing off the screw, drilling out the 5/16 inch opening of debries then
purchased nylon wall hanger screws costing 45 cents each. The threads have to be trimmed quite
a bit, but afterwards can be gently pounded into the opening. I added household glue before
driving them in for good measure.
The nylon screw heads accept a metal screw that secures the adapters that come
with the toilet seat replacement.
Total cost 90 cents. Plus personal time and cussing

Orthoake

[dcross]

I have the same problem trying to replace the Kohler one piece toilet seating. There is no access to the anchor from underneath, in the tank or in the bowl. It is solidly encased. I just bought a fat flat head screw driver and while one of the darn bolts spins,the other is frozen completely. I called Kohler and this model is the Gabrielle with french curve. The attendant at Kohler told me I have to buy a special kit for $49 to hold the anchor still. I said that there is no way to access the anchor. If I call a plumber, it will be a very expensive change out of a simple, inexpensive item. I can see why this model is dicontinued. The quality of this Kohler product sucks. I have to replace the seat because of poor quality plastic seating and replacing it is a nightmare. Thank goodness it is a rental property and the property manager can deal with it, but it does pose a major inconvenience and I cannot even quickly fix something that should have been so simple and not have to bother anyone...not even the HomeDepot people.

[Licketysplit]

Replacement of Seat on Kohler one piece toilets: Applies to toilets with NO access to the underside for nut application
1. Don't bother calling Kohler 2. Don't buy the 84999 replacement expansion bolt set from Kohler ($47 + shipping) 3. Get the appropriate replacement seat from a supplier (I went to Lowes) 4. Remove the stainless bolt and aluminum anchor from the existing seat and toilet. The anchor is a soft metal which expands when tightened ("molly bolt"). This is the only hard part. You may have to use a Dremel tool with a reinforced abrasive disc to cut the bolt head off, or you may choose to use a hacksaw. I grasped the screw head with a pair of pointed vice grips and turned and pulled (after loosening them a bit with a screwdriver, so I could get ahold of them) until the aluminum expansion bolt broke off from the inside. If you saw off the head of the bolt, you'll have to drill the hole out to 11/32", the original size of the hole in the toilet. 5. Go to a hardware store and get the following: Two 14x1" or 14x1 1/4" stainless metal screws with pan head. Two large Pop-toggle screw anchors (or other nylon anchors of your choice that can fit tightly in a 11/32" or 3/8" hole). Two stainless (or nylon) washers appropriate to the size of your size 14 screws. Ace hardware had these in KC. Tap the pop-toggle anchors gently in the holes in the toilet until flush. Place the seat replacement on the toilet over the anchors. Place the washers over the holes in the seat, put the screws through the washers and the new seat, in the anchors. Tighten with a screwdriver and you are done. Total cost around $1.50, but the best part is that you can now replace the seat without removing the metal anchors if you wish, and the anchor is nice and tight.