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Toilet tank wobble
New member here with what seems like a silly question. After reading everyone’s high praise, I decided to purchase a new Toto Drake toilet and try to install it myself. During installation, I ran into a few problems:
1) The closet flange was too high (about 3/4" off the flooring). Being that I have little experience in plumbing, I decided to get a licensed professional to lower the flange. To save cost, that is all I had him do. After a few hours, I was able to install the toilet with the wax ring without much trouble. First problem solved (still keeping my fingers crossed here on no leaks).
2) One of the easiest parts of the installation became the most painstaking; installing the toilet tank to the toilet bowl. I did this carefully -tightening each nut an evenly and a little at a time. I did this until the tank began to touch the bowl. Then it happened. A small creak sound. Sure enough I cracked the tank. I had water everywhere and a cracked Toto tank.
After purchasing a new tank today, I installed it again but this time tightening up the nuts where the tank does not touch the bowl. The gap is about the thickness of a sheet of paper or two. The good news is that there are no leaks. The problem is that the tank wobbles. I am wondering if other Drake owners out there see this. I personally can't see how the tank would not wobble since basically the only contact point is a sponge-like gasket. It wobbles with just the force it takes to flush the toilet. Just wondering if I should tighten more, leave it alone, or call the licensed plumber?
Any suggestions will be appreciated.
Thanks,
Neo
Last edited by Terry; 01-03-2005 at 04:50 PM.
Most tanks will have some movement on the bowl. After installing hundreds, we realize that whether the tank does move or does not move, it's all pretty much the same.
If you "need" a tank that "does not" move, I would suggest one of the one-piece versions like the Ultramax.
You pull the toilet out of the box and stick it on the wax. It's a very nice way to go.
We install hundreds of these tanks and have never broken one.
I wouldn't worry if there is some movement. Check these Instructions
Last edited by Terry; 01-15-2005 at 10:07 AM.
My Toto tank
The attached photo shows one of three "points" on the tank which contact the lower section. When these touch, there is still a gap, but no more than 3/16".
I'm wondering if the tank to bowl gasket is up side down, effectively making it thicker?
Phat
Food for thought...I'm not a pro. Do you ever lean back while sitting on the pot? Having the thing tight means that now you are putting stress on the bolt holes rather than the flexible joint of the tank to bowl gasket.
I'd call the manufacturer, or e-mail them and ask them how it was intended to be installed, then follow their instructions.
Last edited by Terry; 01-15-2005 at 10:05 AM.
Jim DeBruycker
Important note - I'm not a pro
Retired Defense Industry Engineer
I'd say this is one of the most recurring questions on this site. I wonder what Toto has to say about it? Is there any way to get a definitive answer from them?
I mean one guy reported that he cracked the tank in his desire/attempt to get the tank to touch or seat on the bowl. I thought it was supposed to touch but after some tightening and looking at this site stopped tightening for fear of cracking and it works fine.
I totally agree w/ Terry that it doesn't matter that much because the gasket seals the gaps between bowl and tank and a little wobble doesn't impact performance.
But I still wonder how Toto really designed or intended the connection to be: touching all the way around or not?? and if it's supposed to touch then the gasket is too thick.
Hello, I'm a 4th Generation Plumber and we've finally found a useful product to stop this rocking issue and stabilize the toilet tank. It's called a toilet tank stabilizer by TankTruss. It's mandatory at our shop to install the product on EVERY toilet we install or fix and we rely on it. Super simple. http://www.tanktruss.com
John
Last edited by 4thGenerationPlumber; 12-28-2012 at 05:40 AM.
John, do you install Tank Truss on oval tanks? I viewed the video and am not sure that you could do anything but put a single "truss" in the middle of the tank.
I would hardly call what the tank in the video does a "wobble". It looks pretty firm, with only a small amount of movement. Are mine a bit tighter? Yes, but not that much. I am also dubious as to whether you're going to have a leak with a properly-double-nutted tank even pulling and pushing as was done in the video.
PS With reference to the video, the top of the toilet is the last place that I can imagine my g/f putting any of her cosmetics.
Seems like a solution in search of a problem, but certainly a well-thought-out product.
Do you have a picture of the Oval tank? I've only had issues with one old toilet tank where the porcelain was almost too thick for the clip. Let me see what you're dealing with.
John
I install very few Toto toilets, so I am not sure if they send the small rubber spacers that fit on the bowl between it and the tank, but the brands I do install all have them. In the past, the tanks that cracked were those that did NOT "wiggle".
Licensed residential and commercial plumber
The Toto toilets that i've installed do not have the rubber spacers and yes, many times the toilets that i've seen crack as well are the ones that are too tight and have no wiggle room if pressure is pushed against.
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