Inspired by this problem.
If I somehow succeed in removing the rusted bolts and replace them with new ones, how can I prevent the new bolts from rusting and getting stuck too? (Other than removing the tank every x months/years just to clean the bolts.)
E.g. in the bike repair videos they always grease the bolts before reinserting them, I was asking myself if this would work for the toilet tank as well. Since I did not find any mention of this anywhere, I imagine this would be a bad idea (maybe because the grease would allow the water to leak around the bolts?), but I would be interested in your opinions, or maybe if someone has tried it, what were the experiences.
Best Answer
The best solution is to purchase a new set of bolts that are made of stainless steel or brass. Both will not rust the same way that a iron or steel bolt will. They will cost a little bit more but will pay back in the long term.
My experience has been that the brass bolts after years can sometimes build up their own kind of corrosion that can make it difficult to remove the nuts. This seems to be related to the water chemistry and to some degree if there is a micro leak by the bolt. Stainless steel bolts are the best in my experience and I have been very happy with the toilet repairs where I have used them.