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Vetus WCS toilet - loose seat - causes and solutions ?


Yorkie2

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Our 2004 era Vetus WCS toilet seat is now loose, after checking the attachments it looks like the 'spring toggles' are now rusted through.

 

Firstly, are these really spring toggles, and if so, has anyone had to replace them, and if so, with what ?

They seem a bit flimsy for the task in hand, so considering some bolts, washers and rubber seal/cushioning on the porcelain.

Finally any idea what size bolt comes thought from the seat hinge ? Else I'll have to wait and measure when back on boat this weekend before visiting the local stores.

 

The other solutions are a new seat from Vetus, £120+, or from local DIY, £25 ish, so would prefer £5 ish for nuts/toggles.

 

Many thanks

 

Y2

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Yorkie2 said:

The other solutions are a new seat from Vetus, £120+, or from local DIY, £25 ish, so would prefer £5 ish for nuts/toggles.

Tell me where you're from without telling me where you're from :D 

 

Is it one of those soft close things? Unsure why there'd be springs otherwise, loo seats are usually pretty basic.

I'd measure it carefully if planning on full replacement, i swapped one out at home that looked the same, but in reality overhangs the bowl by an inch or two.

 

Pics might help others more knowledgeable in this area help you.

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I tried just before leaving yesterday but made a hash of it, ill have another go Friday.

 

Y2

1 minute ago, Hudds Lad said:

Tell me where you're from without telling me where you're from :D 

 

Is it one of those soft close things? Unsure why there'd be springs otherwise, loo seats are usually pretty basic.

I'd measure it carefully if planning on full replacement, i swapped one out at home that looked the same, but in reality overhangs the bowl by an inch or two.

 

Pics might help others more knowledgeable in this area help you.

Yes the £5 better than £25 or £120 probably would have given a clue as well.

 

It's not a soft close - as we have found out (we've only had the boat a year). But it does stay open when you lift it up.

 

Good point re. pics, I'll try again on Friday.

Y2

6 minutes ago, Hudds Lad said:

Tell me where you're from without telling me where you're from :D 

 

Is it one of those soft close things? Unsure why there'd be springs otherwise, loo seats are usually pretty basic.

I'd measure it carefully if planning on full replacement, i swapped one out at home that looked the same, but in reality overhangs the bowl by an inch or two.

 

Pics might help others more knowledgeable in this area help you.

Ah I think I get the first question now - near the Sculpture Park, so closest to Barnsley, then Wakey, then Hudds.

 

Y2

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34 minutes ago, Yorkie2 said:

Ah I think I get the first question now - near the Sculpture Park, so closest to Barnsley, then Wakey, then Hudds.

You were right the first time, tightness is an art form that other counties just don't appreciate enough :D 

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Have managed to get these 2 pictures of the spring toggles, the one more rusted/unsound is the loose side.

 

I've tried a couple of wing nuts on the bolt, its defo not M6 nor M4, so if its metric it'll be M5 I hope, which I don't have with me 😞 of course.

Will try some local hardware stores and see where I get to this weekend.

 

Y2

IMG_6231.jpg

IMG_6229.jpg

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1 hour ago, Yorkie2 said:

Have managed to get these 2 pictures of the spring toggles, the one more rusted/unsound is the loose side.

 

I've tried a couple of wing nuts on the bolt, its defo not M6 nor M4, so if its metric it'll be M5 I hope, which I don't have with me 😞 of course.

Will try some local hardware stores and see where I get to this weekend.

 

Y2

IMG_6231.jpg

IMG_6229.jpg

It's nice to see you had a handy potato to take the pics with :D :D 

 

Good luck in your quest ;) 

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These look like standard Rawlplug toggle fixings so should be easy to get from any DIY store.

Suggest that you change the threaded screws for stainless, the toggle part is plated steel so will not last forever!

Check the thread diameter also, standard screws are for a screwdriver but yours could be a different type.

 

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The usual fixing for a loo seat is wing nuts and washers to spread the load. I guess someone might have used a butterfly fixing if there was an access problem. The bolt part is often incorporated into the seat hinge, but may use either standard or square/oblong headed bolts.

 

These days, the whole bolt and nut assembly is normally plastic, which gets rid of the rust problem. 

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Thanks all for comments. Potato cam was the best I could manage given the limited access via the adjacent cupboard and child hand sized access holes, which is the main problem here Iain_S, I'll need some fancy tools and some chewing gum to fix washers and nuts from below.

 

I can see why spring toggle type fixings are used, having no spare child sized hands to squeeze into the behind loo/behind cupboard holes, a spring toggle that folds in when going through the toilet, and springs out when under the porcelain is the likely best/easiest/only way I'll fix the seat back on.

I bought some some cheap M5 spring toggles, and while they fit, I think they would only last a couple of years before giving up to rust/structural failure, so I was also thinking stainless bolts as well adrianh, and from some limited trawling of internet, one can buy stainless, or even gold plated, toggle type fixings, which would I guess slow the corrosion on the fixing.

 

So back to boat this weekend, and fit some 'heavy duty' toggle fixings, prob not gold plated 🙂

 

Y2

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18 hours ago, Iain_S said:

When I changed the seat hinges on our Jabsco macerator loo, I had to shift the whole unit out from the wall a bit to give visible access to the nuts underneath.

That's not something I want to do TBH, too many pipes to be careful of, but as a last resort may have to get the marigolds out.

 

I have found some 'heavy duty' toggles, which I hope will work, fitting will be this weekends fun.

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  • 3 weeks later...

righty ho, have eventually sorted the loo seat, and key learning is: something that takes 15 mins on land, takes 4 hours on the boat (opportunity to clean the loo to within an inch of its life)

 

I bought some M5 'toggler' heavy duty toggles, which fit the Vetus seat bolts that go right through the seat/cover mountings and the loo itself.

 

Removing the old toggles was a struggle, rusted and broken, and with reduced access of course. One unscrewed with some force and 3in1, the other toggle disintegrated and luckily the remaining bolt which wasn't moving fitted through the loo.

 

I seated new toggles on some rubber washers, hopefully they will last.

 

potatocam photos here:

 

 

IMG_6331.jpg

IMG_6316.jpg

and a final photo

 

IMG_6323.jpg

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