12" Toto Drake on 11 3/8" rough? And performance

[Emblem1972]

Hello all. I'm looking at replacing a 1972 Eljer Emblem and would like something with a very strong flush. Been doing a lot of research, and my early digging brought up the American Standard Champion 4 as the king of flushes, but the more I searched on that specific model, the more complaints I ran into about leaks and quality control issues. My travels eventually led me here, where there seems to be a pretty clear preference for Toto Drake, and I've been reading that its performance is comparable to the Champion as well.

That leaves me with two questions. First, I've measured and re-measured, straight from the wall to center bolts, no baseboard, and I consistently come up with just a hair less than 11.5" rough-in. 11-3/8" as near as my aging eyes can narrow down. The Emblem's tank is right up against the wall, no gap. I've seen in the New Drake thread (here) that 11-3/16" is enough for the CST776CEFG, but elsewhere in the forum that it needs 11.5". I'd love to be able to put in either a CST776CEFG-11, or CST776CSFG-11 for the 1.6 GPF. Do you good folks reckon either of those 12" rough models would fit, or would it be wiser to go with a 10" rough (in which case I'm eyeing the CST776CEFG.10-01)?

Second question: would the Drake indeed be a top-tier choice for flush performance? I'm not too concerned about looks, and it can be loud enough to wake the dead as long as I all but never have to unclog the thing. If so, any thoughts on CST776CEFG vs CST776CSFG? I'm open to non-Drake recommendations as well.

Thank you very much.

 

[Reach4]

You can find a 12 inch to fit no problem.

1. there may be plenty of room with the toilet centered over the closet flange
2. You can take advantage of slop by "cheating" the toilet away from the wall.
3. You can add shims aft to tilt the tank slightly away from the wall. You probably need shims to avoid rocking anyway.

Place toilet without wax initially. Add shims, and mark/tape into place. Lift toilet. Drop wax. Drop toilet.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

its going to fit probebly without any tricks mentioned above but I allways have tricks like that up my sleeve

 

[Emblem1972]

After some misadventures with the purchase and delivery, I finally got my Drake installed today. Thank you both for your advice!

It fit, but it was a near thing, and the tank is touching the wall. It's not being pushed forward, but it's a definite touch. Is this anything I should be concerned about?

Thanks again!

 

[Reach4]

Did you slide the toilet as far forward as tolerances/slop allowed?

You could have shimmed the aft part of the base a smidgeon, and created a tiny tilt away from the wall. Too late now, unless you want to put in new wax too.

 

[Jeff H Young]

no thats the way you planned it perfect job , just kidding, but it sounds good

 

[Emblem1972]

Reach4, I didn't DIY it. I gave the installer a heads up about the rough-in, and it looked like he made the best he could of the space. I'm not worried about aesthetics, just wanted to check on whether this was likely to cause problems with the tank, e.g. cracking.

Jeff, heh! That's what I'm hoping.

Thanks as always!

 

[John Gayewski]

As long as the tank to bowl connection is leak free your good. It's actually nice to have the tank touch the wall, (or really close to touching) that way if you happen to lose your balance or lean on it accidently, the wall is there to support it. I had an elderly customer break their tank off from leaning on it.

 

[Reach4]

Can you slip a piece of paper between the tank and the wall without force?

 

[Emblem1972]

Not without force, no. I can get it through but it does take a little pushing.

 

[Emblem1972]

Crap. Feeling some leakage around the bolts connecting the bowl to the tank. Looks like it's too tight after all. I'm having the pro back next week and we'll see if there's anything to be done. Maybe try the shimming.

 

[chrisbguitar]

Crap. Feeling some leakage around the bolts connecting the bowl to the tank. Looks like it's too tight after all. I'm having the pro back next week and we'll see if there's anything to be done. Maybe try the shimming.

What was the result after having the plumber back? Did you solve the leaking at the bowl to tank connection? And now a year later how it it all holding up??
I'm curious because I'd like to install a Toto Drake in an 11" round so have slightly less space than you had. Seems the bowl will fit fine but not sure about the tank...

 

[Howard M Emerson]

What was the result after having the plumber back? Did you solve the leaking at the bowl to tank connection? And now a year later how it it all holding up??
I'm curious because I'd like to install a Toto Drake in an 11" round so have slightly less space than you had. Seems the bowl will fit fine but not sure about the tank...

Not long ago I installed a Toto MS853113E ECO ULTRAMAX, which is a 12" center, on a cast iron flange that was about 11.5". I ended up adding stainless steel washer to the flange bolt holes, but more importantly I used a very particular Fernco product, their 3" Wax Free toilet seal.

The glue that adheres it to the toilet is beyond tenacious. Also it is somewhat elliptical in shape, so it can be moved 'off center', if you will, so that the toilet 'bell' does not have to line up perfectly with the flange hole. I also trimmed the 'fins' on the Fernco 'bell' to allow more forward placement. Here's some pictures that might help.

Note how the 'center' of the toilet seal is actually behind the center of the toilet bell outlet? That's the 'elliptical' thing I was referring to.

It all worked out nicely, and it's been functioning perfectly!

Hope this is helpful/timely.

Regards,
Howard Emerson