Repair Parts for American Standard® Toilets

Q. "Are all American Standard® parts 'standard' and are ALL their products and parts made in America?"
A. A number of their products are made overseas (as is the case with many other plumbing manufacturers as well). Please do not assume that all products made by American Standard (Am. Stan.) are made in the U.S. The word "standard" and "American Standard®" are NOT identical. Most of their faucet parts will only fit their brand (as is the case with their competitors as well). Many of their toilet parts will only fit their brand of toilet. Not all of American Standard® parts are universal ("standard"). We get this question frequently, and it is probably because some people assume that since they have the word "standard" as part of their name that they must be using parts that are "standard"; as in universally fitting. Just as car bumpers don't fit on all brands of cars, parts for "standard" toilets and faucets will generally not fit on other brands. Generally you must buy parts specifically made for (designed to fit) your specific brand of toilet/faucets, etc.

Q. "What is the difference between "OEM" and "will-fit" parts? And what does OEM mean anyway?"
A. "OEM stands for "Original Equipment Manufacturer". This means anything from the original manufacturer that is sold to a second company to use in production of that second company's product. In other words, many toilet manufacturers outsource for the internal working parts of the toilet, such as the fill valves, flush valves, or flappers. When this happens, they have the opportunity to use an existing part, or to specify something for a specific toilet. When the toilet manufacturer chooses to use an existing part, the manufacturer of the part can still sell that piece under their own name, just as they had been all along. If the toilet manufacturer chooses to specify something that will only fit a specific toilet, the part manufacturer can often only provide that part to the toilet manufacturer. What this means for you is that you can sometimes get the *exact same part* (by the original manufacturer of the OEM part), but under another name and usually at a better price! So when your toilet's internal working parts need to be replaced, you may have the option to use either the "OEM" part number or use the "will-fit" part number to order what you need. Please note that only some "will-fit" items are manufactured by the OEM manufacturer. If this is essential to your repair, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to check for you.

Q. "How are the lengths of the toilet fill valves measured?"
A. The toilet fill valve measurements we show are measured from the inside bottom of the tank to the top of the fill valve. The threaded water supply shank that fits through the bottom of the tank is not included in this measurement.

Q. "How do you install the Plunger Repair Kit 012981-0900?"
A. The installation for the Plunger Repair Kit #012981-0900 and the #012981-0070A are the same. First, turn off the water to the fill valve. Unscrew the thumb screws on the lever assembly and slide the lever assembly out from the square hole in the top of the plunger. Pull the old plunger straight up out of the body of the fill valve. With a seat tool, unscrew and remove the old seat directly underneath the plunger. Screw in the new seat until it is snug. Do not over tighten it. At this point put your hand or a cup over the fill valve, turn on the water slowly and let the water run out through the seat for one or two minutes to flush any possible dirt or sediment that might be in the water line. Turn the water off again and slide the new plunger into the body of the fill valve with a slight twist to keep the rubber gasket from being misaligned or torn. Slide the lever assembly back through the square hole in the plunger and tighten the thumb screws. Turn the water back on.