couple of toilet installation questions

Hi all,

I FINALLY got my Toto Drake and hope to install it in a few hours - first have to lay the new flooring (figured might as well get everything done at once).

I'm NOT a plumber, just a DIY homeowner, though I have removed and then put back the old toilet once or twice.

The installation instructions are mostly self-explanatory, except the toilet came with two things not mentioned in the instructions - a black screw on thing that looks like it would fit the fill valve inlet, and a red rubber dome-shaped washer thingie. What am I supposed to do with those?

They look like maybe they would work with the grey plastic piece of tubing with a funny dome shape at one end and a compression fitting that my plumber neighbour gave me along with wax ring and closet bolts, presumably to run between the toilet and the water supply, but I didn't actually see him when I picked up the toilet and I don't have a clue how they are supposed to fit together. I'd already bought one of those flexible supply hoses to use - so which should I use, and if it's the grey plastic tube, how does it all go together (links to a picture would be great, I'm very visual).

Finally, I was reading one set of instructions on general toilet installations that suggested putting a washer and nut on the closet bolts right next to the flange, to keep them from turning when you have the toilet installed and you are putting the upper nut/washer on. This seemed like a good idea to me but thought I should check. I'm a newbie to closet bolts as the original toilet installation was very hokey and used a carriage bolt of all things!

Thanks for any thoughts you have - I'll check back soon!

Lelani

These two items are only needed if you use a brass or plastic supply from the angle stop to the tank connection. The dome shaped washer you can throw away its useless. If your using a flexible you dont need these items. Finally yes its a good idea to secure the bolts to the flange with nuts and washers.

Thank you thank you thank you! That was all I needed to know.

Now just waiting for stuff to dry so I can get the floor down so I can FINALLY get my new toilet installed - yeah!

Lelani

it was all so good, did everything per instructions, got it all installed, my kid had the first pee, yeah! Me the second. After all we'd been without toilet all day!

But then moments later I saw water behind the seat near the tank. Wiped it up, it kept coming. Thought maybe it was leaking around the flush valve but NOOOOO there's a hairline crack from the vicinity of the flush valve up part of the front of the tank.

I was SO careful I don't think it was me, but maybe it was. I checked both the flush valve and water inlet fittings and both didn't budge with my hand so I didn't tighten them more. I was oh so slow and careful tightening the tank to bowl bolts a bit at a time, one side and the next, til I had the "3 points of contact."

So who knows, maybe me, maybe a flaw, I'll talk to the guy I bought it through and buy a new tank if he/supplier thinks it's my fault. Because otherwise we LOVE it. Turns out it's the new EcoMax (1.28 GPF) and with #1 at least it was amazing.

Murphy's Law, I knew things had gone too well today...