Replacing toilet seat on a fully skirted Toto

berkeley99 · Mar 9, 2008

I'm about to purchase a Toto Vespin; however, I'm not a fan of the Toto seat covers and was hoping to purchase a separate cover. I have to buy one of the skirted Toto's since I have a 10" rough-in. My question is: how does one replace a seat cover on a skirted toilet once it's installed? The skirt covers the entire pedestal including where the seat cover bolt come through. So, if you ever needed to replace it, it looks to me that you'd have to move the whole toilet assembly just to be able to reach underneath to screw in the washer and nut. I'm trying to see if there are seat covers that mount/lock from above, but haven't had any luck so far (my supplier is also looking and equally perplexed by the problem). This doesn't make sense to me; I can't imagine Toto would not have thought of this. Maybe I should just figure that it's not all that often one needs to replace a seat cover, so I should be ok so long as the seat goes on before the toilet is installed.
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

Terry · Mar 9, 2008

On Toto's concealed bowls, Vespin, Carlyle, Aquia and others, they supply toggle bolts that drop down, and allow installation and removal from the top.

Seat toggles for the skirted bowls

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Jadnashua · Mar 9, 2008

The Toto seats come with an expansion bolt that drops in from the top...no need to access a loose nut from below. They come with the seat, but may be available as a replacement part. Basically, there is a rubber covered bolt and cam mechanism...you drop it through the hole to anchor the seat, then screw it until it is tight. The threads move a cam that clamps it in the hole and holds it in place. To remove it, you just loosen and pull it out.

berkeley99 · Mar 9, 2008

thanks terry and jadnashua for information about the toto-supplied expansion bolts. I figured there had to be a way to deal with this. I also stopped at another supplier's today and they told me the same thing. Thanks again.

damauiman · Nov 27, 2013

I know this thread is quite old but I have a related problem now. I'm trying to replace the toilet seat on a Toto skirted toilet. I bought a soft close replacement seat but I can't see how to remove the original seat. The toilet was originally installed in 2001. The seat has no slotted screw but instead a chrome plate. I can bearly get my hand in the opening at the rear of the base and feel the bolt shaft and nut but there's no way that I can turn the nut to loosen it. Do I have to tip the toilet forward to be able to access the nut or is there some other way to get to it? Thanks in advance for any help.

Terry · Nov 27, 2013

See the side panels that are Velcro'd on?
Remove those, remove the hold down nut and washer on both sides, and lift the bowl.

When you replace the seat, reinstall with the TOTO toggle bolts.

Many of the newer bowls don't require the toggles.

damauiman · Nov 27, 2013

Thanks Terry. I'll give it a try.

Reach4 · Nov 28, 2013

Terry said:
See the side panels that are Velcro'd on?
Remove those, remove the hold down nut and washer on both sides, and lift the bowl.

I think I understand you to say that the toilet would be lifted from the floor and the nuts removed from beneath. It's good that they came up with that expansion bolt system for later change-outs.

I might be tempted to cut the heads of the existing screws and let the screws drop down, but I guess that would have too much chance that the bowl would be damaged in the process.

Terry · Nov 28, 2013

It's good that they came up with that expansion bolt system for later change-outs.

Those bowls came with the toggle bolts. THU651N
The seat used from a different manufacturer and did not come with the bowl.
The seat being removed can only be installed from below and could not have used the toggles.

Jadnashua · Nov 28, 2013

It isn't uncommon for the original installer to miss those bolts, and they end up getting thrown away with the box...

Reach4 · Nov 28, 2013

Terry said:
Those bowls came with the toggle bolts. THU651N
The seat used from a different manufacturer and not come with the bowl.

Thanks. I was feeling pretty shocked.

sgordon25 · Feb 4, 2014

Removing the bolts & seat

jadnashua said:
To remove it, you just loosen and pull it out.

I wish it were this simple for me. Can you tell me more about what to loosen and how to pull it out? I spent hours trying to get these bolts out and ended up having to cut the screw head off with these Channellock 10 in. Heavy-Duty End-Nipper Cutting Pliers. What an ordeal though!

So on to my question.... does anyone know if another kind of top mounting bolt I could use on the Toto that would be easier to remove in the future if I need to change or tighten the seat?

Thanks!

Jadnashua · Feb 4, 2014

After sitting, the rubber will harden some, and it could take a bit more work to get the things out, but I'd try loosening the bolt, then tapping it carefully to extend the rubber shaft as much as possible, then try to pull it out. The alternative would be to take the bolt and washer out, cut the rubber, and then just push it down into the hole out of the way.

AutoJoop · Dec 21, 2015

sgordon25 said:
Removing the bolts & seat

I wish it were this simple for me. Can you tell me more about what to loosen and how to pull it out? I spent hours trying to get these bolts out and ended up having to cut the screw head off with these Channellock 10 in. Heavy-Duty End-Nipper Cutting Pliers. What an ordeal though!

So on to my question.... does anyone know if another kind of top mounting bolt I could use on the Toto that would be easier to remove in the future if I need to change or tighten the seat?

Thanks!

Thanks sgordon25! I used the Cutting Pliers you recommended to take out the stubborn bolt on my TOTO. Now, I need A good good seat replacement, i want to avoid reliving the frustration.

Donna Penn · Jun 17, 2020

I've got a related question. I've got a Mirabella top mount toilet with a Brondell bidet attachment and a Bemis seat. Two problems: 1) the toggles that grab the screws that attach the seat hinges to the basic have vanished. I need to replace them. Are they a universal size? 2) because of the bidet attachment, the seat doesn't sit directly on the basic. I'm assuming I'll need an especially long screw that can pass thru the seat hinge thru the bidet attachment and on thru the holes in the basin. Or are the plastic screws provided with many seats sufficiently long?

berkeley99 said:
I'm about to purchase a Toto Vespin; however, I'm not a fan of the Toto seat covers and was hoping to purchase a separate cover. I have to buy one of the skirted Toto's since I have a 10" rough-in. My question is: how does one replace a seat cover on a skirted toilet once it's installed? The skirt covers the entire pedestal including where the seat cover bolt come through. So, if you ever needed to replace it, it looks to me that you'd have to move the whole toilet assembly just to be able to reach underneath to screw in the washer and nut. I'm trying to see if there are seat covers that mount/lock from above, but haven't had any luck so far (my supplier is also looking and equally perplexed by the problem). This doesn't make sense to me; I can't imagine Toto would not have thought of this. Maybe I should just figure that it's not all that often one needs to replace a seat cover, so I should be ok so long as the seat goes on before the toilet is installed.
Any thoughts or suggestions appreciated.

Donna Penn · Jun 17, 2020

I've got a Mirabella top mount toilet with a Brondell bidet attachment and a Bemis seat. Two problems: 1) the toggles that grab the screws that attach the seat hinges to the basic have vanished. I need to replace them. Are they a universal size? 2) because of the bidet attachment, the seat doesn't sit directly on the basic. I'm assuming I'll need an especially long screw that can pass thru the seat hinge thru the bidet attachment and on thru the holes in the basin. Or are the plastic screws provided with many seats sufficiently long?

Terry · Jun 17, 2020

The Brondell bidet doesn't add much at all to what you need for a bolt. The ones that come with the seats will be plenty long enough.

KaraLouise · Feb 3, 2024

In case anyone is still following this thread… I’m really struggling to install a slow close seat on my TOTO Aquia. The rubber bits are popping up out of the holes in the bowl. I gave up and put my old seat back on and the same thing is happening! It’s a brand new genuine Toto hardware set… what am I doing wrong?

Replacing toilet seat on a fully skirted Toto

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