When I am taking off the nuts on my toilet's J- bolts to remove toilet, the J bolts are twisting. WDID?

Question

the nuts are tight against the toilet and both nut and bolt are turning......won't loosen....help

Answer 1

put a pair of pliers on one side and hold on to it

Answer 2

Use a small hacksaw and cut through the nut

Answer 3

Right on, Do It Right.  Your suggestions are really good. He obviously has some issues with rust and frozen nuts on the bolts.  Since he has already moved the bolts into a consistently rotating situation as he tries to free the nut, even WD40 or other lubricant is not going to work well.  If the nut isn't a cap nut, and it is low enough for him to use the hacksaw to groove the bolt, he should be able to free the nut.  In that case, just to assist, the WD40 would possibly help out a bit by loosening up the rust area.  

A drastic solution, similar to what you made for cutting the bolts, is about the last solution I can think of.  I would not use duct tape on the floor, but any flat piece of metal that can protect the floor outside the rim of the toilet where it meets the floor.  A hacksaw blade has some bend to it, so he can get purchase using solely the blade.  If done carefully, he can get about two thirds through the bolt, then tap on it at the top or work it back and forth until it breaks off.  The metal usually used in the bolts is pretty stiff and will break instead of bend.  He just has to make sure that after he makes the cut, he works the bolt so it will bend back and forth along, not acrosss. the oval toilet sleeve it fits through, to avoid cracking the ceramic.

Answer 4

you have to hold on to the under part and a s***w driver should loosen it right on out....

Answer 5

1] it can be rust try  W40

2] tap on it to see of the j bolt will fasten itself

3] put a piece of steel at one side of the nut and hit a couple of times the other side of the nut. be care full

4] use a torch to heat the nut for short time [put some wet cloths around so you do not burn anything else]

5] last resort= use a hack saw or grinder) and saw/grind  off the nut and then with pliers take out the j bolt and replace them later.

but what you do. be care full and protect the surrounding.

Answer 6

Assuming your are removing the toilet, you don't HAVE to get the nuts off, hacksaw the bolts, or any of that stuff.

The J bolts slide through a slot in the toilet flange (the part attached to the floor).

Turn the J bolt while lifting on it with a pliers, you should feel the slight snap as the J slides into the slot in the flange.

When all the nuts are removed, or turned into the slots, lift straight up on the toilet. You can cut off the J-bolts without fear of chipping the toilet, now.

Answer 7

Use a hack-saw blade to cut a slot into the top center of the bolt,(doesn't matter if you cut into the nut too).  Then use a slotted screwdriver to hold the bolt while you turn the nut.

If that doesn't work, try pulling up against the toilet as you turn the nut. It may cause the bolt to jam into some thing below.

If that doesn't work, put a couple layers of duct tape around nut, on the porcelain,  then carefully hacksaw off the nuts and bolts.