How To Fix Wobbly Toilet Seat Hinges Repair Guide

Difficulty

Moderate

Steps

Time Required

                          20 - 25 minutes

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How to Fix Wobbly Toilet Seat Hinges
7 steps

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Introduction

The toilet seat used in this guide is a Cachet Round Closed Front Toilet Seat with Q3 Advantage by KOHLER, Model #K-R4639-0, although the instructions apply to many other kinds of toilet seats with slow-close hinges.

A dirty toilet seat can make disassembly both unsanitary and off-putting. To make your repair job as easy as possible, ensure that your toilet seat and hinges are clean before beginning disassembly.

What you need

Step 1

              How to Fix Wobbly Toilet Seat Hinges

Make sure your toilet lid is in the closed position.
Locate the plastic hinge covers at the back of the lid.
Open both hinges by curling your fingers underneath the plastic overhang at the back of the hinge and pulling straight up. You will now be able to move your toilet seat.
With a firm grasp on either side of the toilet seat, pull straight forwards so that the seat slides off the toilet bowl.

Make sure your toilet lid is in the closed position.

Locate the plastic hinge covers at the back of the lid.

Open both hinges by curling your fingers underneath the plastic overhang at the back of the hinge and pulling straight up. You will now be able to move your toilet seat.

With a firm grasp on either side of the toilet seat, pull straight forwards so that the seat slides off the toilet bowl.

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Step 2

Place your toilet seat upside-down on a flat surface.
Locate the hinge assembly towards the back of the toilet seat.
Your toilet seat might have a plastic covering over the hinge assembly. If so, simply pry it off with your fingers and set it aside for re-installation later.

Place your toilet seat upside-down on a flat surface.

Locate the hinge assembly towards the back of the toilet seat.

Your toilet seat might have a plastic covering over the hinge assembly. If so, simply pry it off with your fingers and set it aside for re-installation later.

Step 3

Locate the cylindrical dampers on either side of the hinge assembly.
Using your needle-nose pliers, pinch one of the dampers and pull it halfway out of its compartment, or until the damper no longer connects the hinge assembly to the toilet seat.
Do the same to the other damper.
With both dampers still in their compartments, remove the hinge assembly from the toilet seat.

Locate the cylindrical dampers on either side of the hinge assembly.

Using your needle-nose pliers, pinch one of the dampers and pull it halfway out of its compartment, or until the damper no longer connects the hinge assembly to the toilet seat.

Do the same to the other damper.

With both dampers still in their compartments, remove the hinge assembly from the toilet seat.

Step 4

Place the hinge assembly upside-down on a flat surface.
Remove one of the dampers by pushing it out of its compartment with your finger.
Do the same for the other damper.

Place the hinge assembly upside-down on a flat surface.

Remove one of the dampers by pushing it out of its compartment with your finger.

Do the same for the other damper.

Step 5

Hold one of the dampers by the smaller end.
Examine the damper for notches or markings. Some dampers have a set of notches, or arrows, that indicate “Slow/fast”. If your dampers have markers like this, use them to determine how far back you want to rotate your dampers.
Some dampers have no notches or markings; if this is the case, you will have to guess at how far back to rotate them. You may need to repeat this step a few times to perfect the tightness of your dampers.
If there is only one set of notches on the damper, it can not be adjusted.
Once you have determined how far back to rotate your damper, insert the large end of the damper back into the hinge assembly, leaving the small end sticking out. This will make it easier to rotate the small end of the damper.

Hold one of the dampers by the smaller end.

Examine the damper for notches or markings. Some dampers have a set of notches, or arrows, that indicate “Slow/fast”. If your dampers have markers like this, use them to determine how far back you want to rotate your dampers.

Some dampers have no notches or markings; if this is the case, you will have to guess at how far back to rotate them. You may need to repeat this step a few times to perfect the tightness of your dampers.

If there is only one set of notches on the damper, it can not be adjusted.

Once you have determined how far back to rotate your damper, insert the large end of the damper back into the hinge assembly, leaving the small end sticking out. This will make it easier to rotate the small end of the damper.

Step 6

Grip your needle-nose pliers in one hand and the hinge assembly in the other.
Pinch the protruding end of the damper with the needle-nose pliers and twist, rotating it in the direction of the plastic hinge covers. Rotate the dampers until they reach the level of tension you determined in Step 5.
Repeat steps 5-6 with the other damper.

Grip your needle-nose pliers in one hand and the hinge assembly in the other.

Pinch the protruding end of the damper with the needle-nose pliers and twist, rotating it in the direction of the plastic hinge covers. Rotate the dampers until they reach the level of tension you determined in Step 5.

Repeat steps 5-6 with the other damper.

Step 7

Place the hinge assembly back into the toilet seat with the holes aligned.
Re-insert the damper, small-end first, with your fingers. You should be able to feel the damper sliding into the hinge hole in the toilet seat.
Do the same to the other damper.
If you removed a plastic cover from the hinge assembly, snap it back into place.
With the hinge assembly and toilet seat re-assembled, pick the entire toilet seat back up and align it with the bolts on your toilet bowl.
Push straight forward, until the hinges audibly click back into place.
Finally, close the plastic hinge covers.

Place the hinge assembly back into the toilet seat with the holes aligned.

Re-insert the damper, small-end first, with your fingers. You should be able to feel the damper sliding into the hinge hole in the toilet seat.

If you removed a plastic cover from the hinge assembly, snap it back into place.

With the hinge assembly and toilet seat re-assembled, pick the entire toilet seat back up and align it with the bolts on your toilet bowl.

Push straight forward, until the hinges audibly click back into place.

Finally, close the plastic hinge covers.

To reassemble your device, follow these instructions in reverse order.

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                                      with 1 other contributor

                    Avery Hopp

Member since: 01/20/2021

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                       Eastern Washington University, Team S1-G23, Carnegie Winter 2021                        

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