rework problem with an existing toilet flange - help suggestions appreciated

[Johnny-Canuck]

I'm redoing a small bathroom floor surface and am installing a new "comfort height" toilet in prep for my 90 year Mom's return to her house after suffering a fractured hip.

Everything was going fine till I got to the point of unpacking the toilet and thinking I'd be able to install it this afternoon. But when I looked closely at the toilet flange, I now see that the plumber that must have originally installed the flange in the house back in 1963 when it was built, screwed up the alignment of the flange, so that the 2 cut out areas that are meant to allow you to insert the 2 flat headed closet bolts into the flange are exactly at the 9 oclock and 3 oclock orientation which is the worst possible location, in terms of expecting to get the most solid connection between the toilet bowl and the flange. These openings really should be at something like 11 oclock and 5 oclock.

I've attached a picture to show what I mean

I need a quick / simple (and even a "dirty") solution that anyone can suggest to get a more solid way to connect the toilet bowl to the flange.
(e.g. is their a refit flange I can get? could I just use bolts that screw into the floor (no way to adjust the position of the bowl); etc.)

All ideas welcome and much appreciated.

PS: another more minor issue is the fact that the very top plange of the flange is ~1/8" below the level of the new vinyl tile. I'm not sure what the "official" / "proper" answer is. (Should the flange sit on top of the finished floor or be level with it). Anyway, to correct for this also being a potential problem I've decided to use a "jumbo" wax ring rather than the standard thickness ring that came with the American Standard toilet. Is my thinking reasonable?
Thanks alot. John

 

[Ontario Plumber]

I use two packs of closet bolts to fix this issue. Take two of the closet bolts with the brass washers and place them inside the flared openings on the flange (in your case, the 3 and 9 clock positions). Take the brass washers from the second pack of closet bolts. Place a brass washer over each bolts and tighten together using two of the nuts. You should now have one washer on the under side of the flange, and a second washer on top of the flange.

You should now be able to place your gasket and set your toilet down.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Ontario Plumber]

With regards the gasket, I always use rubber or foam gaskets. Gaskets come in different thicknesses to compensate for the height of the flange. As a personal rule of thumb I usually use a 1" gasket if the flange is below the floor, 3/4" gasket if the flange is flush with floor and a 1/2" gasket if the flange is slightly above the floor. If the drain is every too low, then gaskets can be doubled up.

 

[Johnny-Canuck]

I use two packs of closet bolts to fix this issue. Take two of the closet bolts with the brass washers and place them inside the flared openings on the flange (in your case, the 3 and 9 clock positions). Take the brass washers from the second pack of closet bolts. Place a brass washer over each bolts and tighten together using two of the nuts. You should now have one washer on the under side of the flange, and a second washer on top of the flange.

You should now be able to place your gasket and set your toilet down.

Hey Sean ... thanks very much for your suggestion (on both issues). The flange one is my big concern and now I at least see a quick and easy solution for it. Thanks again.

John

 

[Reach4]

Take a look at these threads:
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?46307-Which-toilet-flange-repair-ring-to-use
https://terrylove.com/forums/showthread.php?56422-Broken-closet-flange

 

[Jadnashua]

Not sure you'll get much grip even with a washer and nut when the bolt is in that wide part of the slot. Worst case, as Reach4 linked, may be to use a repair ring and position its slots where they need to be. Ideally, for maximum strength, the installer would have positioned it with those small U-shaped notches where the bolts need to go. Also note, not all closet bolts are threaded far enough towards the head to use a nut to tighten it down on the flange.

 

[WJcandee]

I would use the repair ring shown in the first thread reach linked to. Pretty easy.

As to the wax ring, a #10 thick one should do it but you could also use two regular rings (one with a plastic insert and one without; the plastic insert goes on the top. That will work just fine. Also, put the ring on the floor and the toilet down on the ring, like plumbers do, instead of trying to stick it to the toilet, as many directions recommend.