index1489
New Member
I just wrapped up on my Toto Drake CST776 install.
I have a stainless ABS flange that sits 1/2 below the finished floor (tile). The previous toilet looked like it was slightly leaking on one side of the flange (2nd story) so I removed all the screws and spun the ring to hit fresh wood and replaced with #12 2 inch stainless screws.
Most of the extra thick wax rings I looked at are 1 1/4 inches thick, a standard ring is just under an inch. I found one from Oatey and Harvey that were thicker just under 1 3/8 but then I remembered the Toto's that are sold here in California at Costco include a Home Flex branded ring that is 1.5 inches thick and that is what I ordered. A 1 1/4 ring will only give you about a quarter inch of crush in my situation.
I also had to shim the toilet and I did a dry run without wax.
I know most people recommend shimming the rear but that didn't work so well in this situation. The previous toilet did not rock without shims but this one did diagonally from the front left to the rear right. I was able to get all the rock out with a single rubber shim placed on the front left of the toilet then placed two additional to fill the gap and add support.
I taped the shims to the floor and marked where the toilet should fall on them with a marker. Unfortunately when I set the bowl down over the wax ring I didn't get it perfectly in the exact spot and had to carefully, avoiding any rocking slide it forward about 1-2mm to hit the proper spot marked on the shims.
I like to use straws to help me line up the bowl. I also always use a extra set of nuts and washers to set the bolts into the flange.
I flushed it 8-10 times and inspected for leaks and found none. I caulked it with Kiwi Seal Plus up to the bolts.
Looking into getting the matching Toto bidet soon.
Thanks for all the advice on the forum.
I have a stainless ABS flange that sits 1/2 below the finished floor (tile). The previous toilet looked like it was slightly leaking on one side of the flange (2nd story) so I removed all the screws and spun the ring to hit fresh wood and replaced with #12 2 inch stainless screws.
Most of the extra thick wax rings I looked at are 1 1/4 inches thick, a standard ring is just under an inch. I found one from Oatey and Harvey that were thicker just under 1 3/8 but then I remembered the Toto's that are sold here in California at Costco include a Home Flex branded ring that is 1.5 inches thick and that is what I ordered. A 1 1/4 ring will only give you about a quarter inch of crush in my situation.
I also had to shim the toilet and I did a dry run without wax.
I know most people recommend shimming the rear but that didn't work so well in this situation. The previous toilet did not rock without shims but this one did diagonally from the front left to the rear right. I was able to get all the rock out with a single rubber shim placed on the front left of the toilet then placed two additional to fill the gap and add support.
I taped the shims to the floor and marked where the toilet should fall on them with a marker. Unfortunately when I set the bowl down over the wax ring I didn't get it perfectly in the exact spot and had to carefully, avoiding any rocking slide it forward about 1-2mm to hit the proper spot marked on the shims.
I like to use straws to help me line up the bowl. I also always use a extra set of nuts and washers to set the bolts into the flange.
I flushed it 8-10 times and inspected for leaks and found none. I caulked it with Kiwi Seal Plus up to the bolts.
Looking into getting the matching Toto bidet soon.
Thanks for all the advice on the forum.
