Confusion about Toto Drake Model #s

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LoriAH

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Hi,
I need a smaller scale toilet and have always admired the Toto brand. Now that I have the need for a new toilet ASAP, but also want to be budget friendly, I am looking at the Toto Drake. I was led to this forum by a Home Depot review. I've searched Toto Drake threads so far but nothing addresses the confusing multitudes of similar yet different model numbers. Can anyone tell me if there is a real difference between these model #s?
CST743S01 "Close Coupled" 1.6 GPF
CST743SR01 "Two-Piece Toilet with Trip Lever" 1.6 GPF
Both of these are specified to be round (which I need for space reasons) but they are about $30 different.
There is also
CST743E01 Eco Drake Close Coupled Round Two-Piece Toilet which is the same price as the CST743S01
I understand there is a GPF difference between E-Max and G-Max. But the description for the CST743S01 does not specify G-Max while the CST743SR01 does specify G-Max.
I guess I really just want to know if there's any regular Totos that don't use G-Max and also if price is equivalent whether I should go for the Eco vs the regular Drake.

I'd really appreciate specific help here. My husband always aims for price over quality. Meanwhile, I'd rather spend the money on the toilet itself and not the plumber or the water bill.

Time is costing us $ too, my 1950s era toilet is has a slow leak from the tank (to the sewer) and keeps auto-refilling. It's so antique that I can't shut it off when not in use and my plumber doesn't have the valves readily available to change the water valve. This pepto-abysmal pink beast of a toilet recently cost us $750 in water bills!

Thanks,
Lori
 

Reach4

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CST743SR01 has the flush lever on the right, as you face the toilet.
 

WJcandee

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Okay, here goes. "Close-coupled" just means the tank sits on the bowl. In the olden days, the tank was mounted on the wall and the bowl was bolted to the floor, connected by a pipe. Nowadays, almost all two-piece toilets (i.e. tank and bowl as opposed to one integrated molded unit) are "close coupled". It's a meaningless part of the description.

In the model numbers, "R" means right-hand trip lever. Almost all trip levers are on the left as you look at the tank. Unless there is a specific architectural reason that you need a right-hand one, you get the one without the R.

CST743[and then some letters] is a two-piece toilet with the round Drake bowl. The CST743S is the G-Max (1.6gpf) and the CST743E is the E-Max (1.28gpf). Both have excellent flushing abilty; most people can't tell they are using less water with the E-Max. It's the exact same china on the tank and bowl for both toilets; the E tank has innards that are set to cycle 1.28 gallons on each flush, the S tank uses 1.6. That's the only difference. [CST744S, etc., is the elongated Drake.]

The "01" at the end of the number (usually abbreviated -01 or #01) is a color, in this case Cotton White. Other colors have other numbers.

The prices for Toto at Home Depot strike me as a little odd/off. Some are decent values while others are not. You can use Terry's prices above as an idea of what's fair, and then call around to local plumbing supply houses (look in the Yellow Pages under plumbing supply). Call with the exact model number that you want, and get a price quote for if you come in ready to buy today. Call at least 5 places. The prices will vary wildly. Some will be nice, some won't. Some prices will be excellent, others won't. But if you call 5 you should find at least one you would like to do business with.

Unless you are in a district where they have a rebate for a 1.28gpf toilet, it really makes no difference whether you buy the E or the S. Both will perform well.

For a little more, there is now more traditional tank available for the Drake, which in your case would make the model number CST743EN. It only comes in 1.28gpf, and the N is for "New Tank". I personally like the standard tank, but the option is there. Search the model numbers on line for pictures.

Come back with any other questions.
 

WJcandee

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Okay. One other thing. I'm not pleased with what I'm hearing you say your plumber told you. If your old toilet is a standard two-piece toilet (as opposed to something unique like a Briggs one-piece lowboy toilet or something else unique), he should be able to stop the running by changing the flapper (or tank ball) that shuts off the water from tank to bowl. That's a $5 part that you can usually replace yourself. He says he doesn't have the valve to turn off the water? That's very odd. Compression-fit angle stops are readily available to go on whatever copper pipe is probably coming out of your wall -- and this quarter-turn model for example, while probably a little lower-quality than a pro would use, is readily-available anywhere: http://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCra...gle-Valve-G2CR19X-C1/202047059#specifications. Again, not knowing if there's anything special about your set up I can't be sure, but that sounds like an odd comment. Is whoever will install the toilet not expected to replace the stop valve at the same time? Terry always does. It takes 5 minutes.

Similarly, if he's talking about the fill valve in the toilet, which isn't likely to be the problem (the flapper is), except for very unique toilets, almost any fill valve can be replaced with the Korky 528 MaxPerformance fill valve. http://www.lowes.com/pd_336988-868-528MPK_0__?Ntt=528mpk&UserSearch=528mpk&productId=3284948&rpp=32 We have seven toilets in the house, and I have put this valve in all of them (except the Totos, which came with a valve like this IN them). One toilet from 1927 took this valve just fine, as did the ones from the 1950s. All are very happy with it.

So, unless there is something very unique about your situation, it should be no problem at all for your plumber to swap the stop valve at the wall, and it shouldn't be hard to find the right valve. If you have questions about this, post a couple of photos and we will analyse. And maybe we even have a recommendation for a good plumber where you are...
 

LoriAH

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wjcandee - you are AWESOME! Thank you! I did figure the "R" meant right, but I hate assuming with something like this. You have totally cleared up all my confusion and we've decided to order the Eco Drake model. This is an en-suite bathroom so low use anyway. Can't wait to get my new Toto installed!
 

LoriAH

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He said it was the ring from the tank to the pipe that was the problem. He absolutely could fix it, but didn't recommend sinking more money into this toilet rather than just buy a new toilet. Let me take a look at the valve on the wall. I'm completely clueless other than knowing I live in a 100 year old house and this bathroom is definitely not original, put in mid-century sometime probably given the pink fixtures, pink tiles and brown accent tiles.
 

WJcandee

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Happy to help! Let us know if you need anything else! (And let us know how you like the Drake.) After dealing with a 1950s toilet, you will be amazed at how anticlimactic the flush is. It's just slurp, gurgle gurgle, done. Everything down the pipe in like 2 seconds.
 

LoriAH

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Okay. One other thing. I'm not pleased with what I'm hearing you say your plumber told you. If your old toilet is a standard two-piece toilet (as opposed to something unique like a Briggs one-piece lowboy toilet or something else unique), he should be able to stop the running by changing the flapper (or tank ball) that shuts off the water from tank to bowl. That's a $5 part that you can usually replace yourself. He says he doesn't have the valve to turn off the water? That's very odd. Compression-fit angle stops are readily available to go on whatever copper pipe is probably coming out of your wall -- and this quarter-turn model for example, while probably a little lower-quality than a pro would use, is readily-available anywhere: http://www.homedepot.com/p/BrassCra...gle-Valve-G2CR19X-C1/202047059#specifications. Again, not knowing if there's anything special about your set up I can't be sure, but that sounds like an odd comment. Is whoever will install the toilet not expected to replace the stop valve at the same time? Terry always does. It takes 5 minutes.

Similarly, if he's talking about the fill valve in the toilet, which isn't likely to be the problem (the flapper is), except for very unique toilets, almost any fill valve can be replaced with the Korky 528 MaxPerformance fill valve. http://www.lowes.com/pd_336988-868-528MPK_0__?Ntt=528mpk&UserSearch=528mpk&productId=3284948&rpp=32 We have seven toilets in the house, and I have put this valve in all of them (except the Totos, which came with a valve like this IN them). One toilet from 1927 took this valve just fine, as did the ones from the 1950s. All are very happy with it.

So, unless there is something very unique about your situation, it should be no problem at all for your plumber to swap the stop valve at the wall, and it shouldn't be hard to find the right valve. If you have questions about this, post a couple of photos and we will analyse. And maybe we even have a recommendation for a good plumber where you are...

Here are pictures of the wall valve for my toilet and the interior of the tank (I'm the first to admit I have fallen down on the job with super-scrubbing the toilet and surround). I tried to get a shot of the ring both before and during the flush. The issue isn't that the toilet runs immediately post-flush. It's that you flush, it fills as normal, it's silent, then you hear it run, then it stops and is silent, then it runs, then it stops, etc etc. I'm getting scalded when I take a shower in my bathroom whenever it runs. I know it's not someone else in the house flushing or using a different toilet because it happens when I'm alone in the house. We "just" replaced the flush mechanism in December 2011, so in theory, that shouldn't be the problem, right? I have to say I'm happy to have a reason to change this toilet. It is built literally like a tank and has functioned for a solid 50 years so I've resisted but it's fugly.

wall.jpgtank1.jpgtank2.jpgtank3.jpg
 

WJcandee

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I have to say I'm happy to have a reason to change this toilet.

And that's a good enough reason. To have a pro change out that flush tower would cost you some money, so you might as well just get a toilet that saves some water and looks good while doing it! There's a market on **** for toilet tank lids; they go for like $50 plus shipping. That beautiful color might be just what someone in America with a broken tank lid is looking for, so you might check out that big auction site and see. The tank number should be embossed somewhere in the tank. (Or you can just say goodbye and be done with it.)
 
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