Adjusting toilet seat - enclosed fixings, help please!

[TriesHard]

All help gratefully received - I’m trying to do a fairly simple job and tighten up one of the fixing screws on my toilet seat. Watched a couple of videos that all show the same quick and easy(!) process but I’m failing at the early step of “remove the cover cap”

As you can hopefully see from the photos, I’ve released the seal from the cap, but for the life of me, can’t get the silver cap off for access to the screw.

Any hints or tips as to how to get the cap off would be much appreciated.

Thank you in advance.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Spray with WD40 and keep turning/moving it until it comes off.

Andy

 

[TriesHard]

Thanks Andy, I did try some WD40 and had no joy (apart from making everything really slippery!). I’ll give it another go….

 

[TriesHard]

How brutal can I be/do I need to be with it, or is brute force not the way?!

 

[Mottie]

Put it back on and try levering it up next to the pin. Lift it up straight, not cocked like in the picture.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Just keep trying, it will come up/off.

Andy

 

[Deleted member 292770]

the silver cap is pressed over a black plastic base. if your’e levering the whole thing it wont come off. set the tip of the screwdriver blade just under the metal edge and prise up.

 

[TriesHard]

Tried with the seat back on as per Mottie’s suggestion and made about 1/2mm progress. Was lifting straight up, moved the angle for the photo so you can see the full impact if the chaos I’ve caused.

Have just been using the very edge of the screwdriver.

Tried boiling water on the cap as well.

Still no joy, other than dislodging the bottom fixing and breaking the rubber seal!

Do I resort to a hacksaw to get through the cap and buy a replacement, or give this up as a DIY job and get in a pro?!

 

[TriesHard]

I’ve given up….for today! The whole thing has come out now so figured I’d be best to start again.

You can see where I’d managed to get under the edge of the cap in a couple of places, but it was pretty wedged in there.

Nothing in terms of a replacement at Screwfix, Toolstation or B&Q (who use these fixings on their toilet seats, but didn’t have them available to buy separately) or the local ironmongery store (had something similar but the “prong” wasn’t big enough) so have ordered from Amazon.

Hopefully I’ll be able to provide a success update tomorrow!

Thanks for all the hints and tips, I appreciate them.

 

[terryplumb]

Can you still not seperate the chrome cover from the plastic baseplate ? If you can ,you could re fit it all.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Just buy a new seat.

Andy

 

[Deleted member 292770]

somebody glued it on. That’s a first.

 

[TriesHard]

After 3 hours yesterday, sorted in 3 minutes today! Amazing what a difference having the right kit/part makes. £7.99 for the new pair so I’ve got a spare should the same thing ever happen to the other side.

Thanks again for all of your suggestions yesterday.

 

[TriesHard]

Can you still not seperate the chrome cover from the plastic baseplate ? If you can ,you could re fit it all.

Hi Terry, I don’t think so. All sorted though as per my last post, and only cost £7.99 so all’s well that ends well.

 

[HERTS P&D]

Please tell me you have replaced both of them! They are sold as a pair for a reason.

Andy