lifted up toilet 1-2mm to insert a shim - do I need to replace the wax ring

[NAH]

I dropped the toilet today on a wax ring and wasn't quick enough to get shims in the front a side before it settled. The gaps are so small that I can only get a few sheets of paper in but not plastic toilet wedge and the remaining gaps still creating an annoying wobble. I lifted the nose very slightly..maybe 2mm and was able to get a shim in the front and then the sides and now the wobble is gone but I'm concerned I broke the wax seal. Should I be cautious, completely remove the toilet, clean off the just installed wax, and install a new ring before trying again (with shims in place) or is the 2mm gap enough where It would self seal?

2nd question - If I do decide the remove the old wax ring and install a new wax ring....do I need to get all the wax off or do i just need to get most of it off since I'd be replacing it with the exact same brand and within 24 hours of the original installation?

3rd - If I decide to try and slide in tissue paper to look for leaks....how many flushes or days should I complete before confident it's sealed OK?

 

[breplum]

any lifting whatsoever will ruin the airtight seal
The way to set a toilet is to dry place first, shim and tape the shim into place, pull WC then permanently set. We only use the hard translucent plastic shims. They snap off with firm hit of a chisel, protect your eyes.
Then we use clear silicone and it covers the shim edge.

 

[NAH]

Thank you for the advice. How thoroughly do I need to clean off the wax from the first ring I applied before trying again?

 

[TomFOhio]

All of it. Check the bottom of the toilet also.

 

[Twowaxhack]

Thank you for the advice. How thoroughly do I need to clean off the wax from the first ring I applied before trying again?

Just get the majority off, it doesn’t need to be scrubbed.

 

[n6ac]

consider this – Fernco wax-free-toilet-seal

 

[alex7003]

I installed a thicker backer and tiles, which lowered the flange about 0.5 inches below the tile level. Thick and double wax rings didn't work, and double wax rings were difficult to install. I tried wax free rubber gasket from hardware store, and it worked perfectly.

 

[NAH]

I ended up removing the majority of the was from both the toilet horn and the flange with a paint scraper and then the rest with hot air gun and paper towels. Other details for the installation

1. Wax Ring - Home Depot Everbilt Extra Thick Toilet Was Ring with Plastic Horn. This was the same I tried the first tim/
2. Toilet - Toto UltraMax 2 One-Piece 1..28 gpf with Washlet Connection
3. Shims - Wobble Wedges Flexible Plastic, Clear
4. Flange - I did not replace as it looked in good shape and was perfectly flush with the tile surface. Standard 4-3 type.
5. Bidet - Toto S7A. part # SW4736AT40#01

Based upon reading various other postings, lessons learned from my first attempt, and knowing the 1' tiles were not dead flat, this is the process that I followed:

1. Taped a single shime in position at 12pm
2. Carefully droped the toilet in place. The rear of the toilet was about 1/2 up the 12pm shim.
3. Lifted the nose of the toilet just enough to slide in a shim about 1/3 in at 6pm.
4. Slide in shimes at 9pm and 3pm just enough to stop the side to side rocking.
5. Tested the fit by loading the toilet from the top and shifted my weight back and forth on the bowl rim. it wasn't 100% but very close.
6. I then slide in shims at 1030 and 130 and then 430 and 730.
7. Retsted the fit and it was 100% solid.
8. Taped all the shims down with blue painters tape.
9. Placed 1/2 length straws on the top of each toilet bolt to make the alignment easier.
10. Placed the wax ring on the flange. squshed it a bit to ensure it wouldn't move
11. Decided to remove the shims at 1030, 130, 430, and 730 with the thought they would be used to take up any slack after the bolts were secur
12. Dropped the toilet down.
13. Did the fit test and it felt very stable.
14. Secured the nuts on the toilet bolts and went moderate hand tight.
15. Slide the 1030, 130, 430, and 730 shims back in at the same locations until they were solidly in place.
16. Finished hand tightening the nuts
17. Fit test again felt the most stable. Absoutley no motion.
18. Turned on the water line and used toilet paper to check for leaks. All dry
19. Poured in 3 gallons of water into the bowl. Again the toilet paper test passed dry.
20. Finally...done!

Btw I did try 3 different waxless rings, including the Flushmaster, but I never flet like the mechancial compression was just right. They were either too tall like the Flushmaster and the toilet high centered or too short and I was nervous that foam compression would not be enough and I'd get leaks so I went back to the wax ring.