Posted: 5/19/2005 11:57:22 AM EDT
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The flush lever (attached to the handle) on my American Standard Model 4048 toilet broke last weekend. I figure the brass lever was close to 45 years old. But I cannot find a new lever which will fit. The reason: apparently older toilets had a 3/4" hole in the tank to hold the handle nut, but all new replacement handles are always 1/2", so the replacements are 1/4" too small to fit the hole (which is necessary to hold the lever in position). American Standard has been no help on this at all and apparently they do not make the replacement levers anymore. I have been to Lowes, Home Depot, and two plumbing supply houses with no luck. I need to solve thos problem, I am getting tired of reaching into the tank to pull the chain each time it needs to be flushed. I have to keep this toilet running--it is something like a 5 gallin tank and it has never plugged on me. My fallback plan is to have a new lever welded onto the old handle stub. GunLvr |
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this place has every new old/vintage toilet part you can imagine |
This is the route I would go. You can probably find a delrin or nylon bushing that fits the bill at the hardware store. Meantime just attach a string to the chain and put a handle or ring on it after feeding it through the hole. |
Can you tell me more about the bushing? I did look at all the nylon hardware at Lowes and didnt see anything that looked like it would work. I will also check Home Depot's web site. I found nothing that would work at the two HDs I visited (one a smaller one, one pretty huge). GunLvr |
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you ould drain the tank, and put a bushing in from the inside, sealing it good and dry on the inside, then puttign the handle back in and fillign the tank again, check to make sure leaks ar not a problem..... they make nynil and rubber bushing type things at home depot that shoudl work, might take soem fitting |
Not a plumber, but I would NOT replace an old toliet with a new low-flow one. Those low-flow toliets requires 2 flushes to get the floaties down. I would try to repair the old one. |
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Quoted: you ould drain the tank, and put a bushing in from the inside, sealing it good and dry on the inside, then puttign the handle back in and fillign the tank again, check to make sure leaks ar not a problem..... quote] If duder's water level is above the the tank handle hole he has big problems in bound. If not why would he have to drain the tank to do what you propose? If it was wet he would have water spilling out of said hole constantly. You don't do this for a living do you? Bushing? what fucking bushing? Come on. Gunlvr...its time for a new shiter. Toilets are cheap. Call a Plumber, AR15knowitalls are not the answer. |
Just trying to be helpful mind you...not all new toilets are as you say. Many can be modified with a simple flapper change out to get more gpf. (Gallons per flush) The manufacturers are reqiured to make 1.6 gpf toilets, yet plumbers know which ones can be enhanced (for lack of a better term) the manufactureres know this and sell more in the process. Some of the A/S toilets are to far gone to repair. But what do I know. (I've repaired 112 toilets, replaced 47 this year) got Quick books handy. 
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I am building a cabin and bought two pre-ban toilets for it from a plumber ($35 each!). He had removed them from a subsidized highrise for the elderly. He said he has GREAT demand for them. I was lucky to get two Mansfields that matched.  Ba-WHOOOOOOOOSH! (not a Ferguson, but hey)  Edit to fix quotes |
I have seen new ones that seem to use the water pressure to make the flush. I was told they "will flush a squirrel." Interesting . . . |
Okay, that clinched it--my place is 30 miles from a cheeseburger or medical help. I'll still with my pre-bans. Thanks! 
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I really want to fix it. I have two more identical toilets in my house. They have never gotten plugged on me. The toilets look great in the bathroom, and if I replaced them with smaller toilets there would be some problems, such as the wallpaper behind them is missing (lazy previous homeowner didn't run wall paper all the way behind the toilets!). I am one of those weirdos who will keep an old car or old gun working through repair, even if the repair is expensive. So far there are few band-aids on the toilet apart from a Fluidmaster valve and ball replacement. I really like my pre-ban toilets and it was one of the reasons I bought the house. GunLvr |
All the magic is in the central valve assy. A replacement assy is about $30 and takes all of 20 minutes to replace (one of those fork style sprinkler valve turners really helps with removal +$2). |
Even if you have to have a new bushing machined for it out of solid gold, under no circumstances get a post-ban toilet. Unless of course your turds are no bigger than a rabbit's. I swapped one in our house out for a black market preban. The JB Weld suggestion is one that I would personally use, but only because I have become quite the master at sculpting it. Go to a REAL hardware store, and find a bushing that will fit. Epoxy it in there and you're good to go. |
Look for bushings in the general hardware/parts section of the hardware store They may not be any you can use in the plumbing department. If you can't find one flexible enough to hold in place, you may have to epoxy (or JB Weld..  ) it in. Should work, for little cost, and look ok.
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Like the ones on some locomotives? After having one overpressurize and blow up on me, no thanks.  
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There's just nothing like pooping indoors.
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American standard makes ones that really flush. I have been 'testing' one for two years. Works every time, even on bricks.... Toto does too. You are wasting a bunch of water. I admit, some low flow ones are absolute garbage, but these work. |