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@brokenbetty
Toilet conundrum.
In order to preserve a clean, smooth exterior surface, the bog seat bolts go into recesses that aren't accessible from underneath.
These little beauties are put into the recess folded vertically then spring flat to form captive bolts.
The picture is upside down. In use the flat bit sits outside the hole and the anchor shape goes into the recess. A threaded rod goes through both and tightens them together, and is also what the seat attaches to.
One of our bolts has lost a wing, giving sitting down an extra drama as the seat lurches sideways.
The end of the rod and what's left of the wing is enough to stop the assembly coming out altogether but with only one wing there's no way to stabilise it. I need to replace it.
The screw is welded into the wing and plate by years of limescale (took 2 days of cilit bang and scraping just to see the screw and broken wing) and there's nowhere to get a decent hold with pliers. As far as I can tell from poking a wire into the recess there is no hole at the bottom.
How the hell do we get it out?
Best plan so far is to cut with a dremel, but we are restricted where we can cut without hitting the ceramic. The safest cut means we'll end up with the wing and end of the rod still in the recess - hopefully deep enough that they won't foul the replacement bolt but we won;t know until it's too late.
Anyone dealt with this before?