How to put on a rubber grip

Method 1

Method 2

Method 1

1) REMOVE OLD GRIP -- No special tricks here; just cut/rip/tear it off and clean off any residual rubber cement by rubbing it with your thumbs. If you're replacing an original grip you may also find a small staple somewhere that can be removed with a pair of pliers (although, be careful not to remove any staples that might be there to hold on the knob at the end of the handle).

2) CLAMP THE RACQUET FIRMLY -- For some racquets this is not absolutely necessary, but it sure makes life a whole lot easier. This was the last trick I added to my repertoire, and it was the one that changed the process from a chore to almost being fun. I wrap the racquet head in an old towel, lay it on my workbench so the handle extends out over the floor, place an old scrap of 1/4 inch plywood over the racquet head, then clamp the plywood to the workbench with a couple of long wood clamps. Nothing special -- just some old junk I had lying around the first time I tried this. The point is to clamp the racquet down securely without damaging the frame.

3) PRE-STRETCH THE GRIP -- Take a pair of pliers, *insert* the *handles* into the top of the grip (the end that's gonna slide on first), then pull the plier handles apart so they stretch the end of the grip. Rotate the handle in the grip and stretch again. Keep rotating and stretching until you get sick of it. Someone suggested the plier handle trick to me as a way to get decent leverage when stretching the grip with minimal risk of tearing it.

4) SPRAY WD-40 ON THE HANDLE AND INSIDE THE GRIP -- Forget the glue. You don't need it. Once the WD-40 dries, the grip will be plenty tight without any glue. I always spray too much WD-40. If I used glue, I'd undoubtedly use too much of that too, and then I'd really have a helluva mess. Therefore I'm glad I don't need the glue.

5) GRAB THE GRIP WITH A PAPER TOWEL -- or an old rag or whatever. I didn't used to do this and, because I always overdo the WD-40 in step 4, my hand would invariably keep slipping on the grip. Now I use a paper towel, and I can get a firm hold on the soggy grip no matter how much lubricant I douse it with.

Other Solvents to use as adhesives:

Another thing you can try is to use hair spray when applying grips. Even if you get a little on your hands, it doesn't really cause your hand to slip while applying the grip.

6) SLIDE THE GRIP ONTO THE HANDLE -- Hold it at an angle to the handle, catch one edge of the grip on the knob at the end of the handle, then *push* and *twist* the grip onto the handle -- the twisting motion is a key to getting the sucker to go on easily. If you have the racquet firmly clamped down, it should go on very easily. At worst you may have to use the fingers of your other hand to help keep the first edge of the grip from sliding off the edge of the knob.

7) DRY THE EXCESS WD-40 -- Some racquets have a foam handle that is quite porous and will absorb any excess WD-40 in matter of a few hours. For those you just need to let them set over night. Other racquets (like my Mayhem and Bedlam) have handles made of the same non-absorbing carbon fiber as the rest of the frame. For these racquets I've found that, once you've gotten the grip onto the handle, you can manipulate it quite freely as long as there's some lubricant left. In particular, I start at one end and roll the grip back over itself, like a foreskin, exposing the handle underneath. I then wipe the exposed handle and interior of the grip with an absorbent towel to sop up the excess WD-40. Roll the foreskin back in place, then repeat the process at the other end of the grip. Do this a couple of times, then let it all dry over night.

8) CIRCUMCISE ANY EXCESS GRIP -- Not necessary for most racquets. Mayhems, however, have an unusually short handle, so the grip is an inch or so longer than the handle. I've seen people play with the excess grip just hanging off in mid-air, and I suppose that's OK, but it just looks kinda obscene and tacky, so I trimmed the excess off of our Mayhems with a utility knife. Hope these tips help make your seemingly impossible task an easy and pleasant one. I should note that most of these tips originated with a whole bunch of other people, who I've since thanklessly forgotten, so I can't give them proper credit.

Method 2

1. Pre-trim new grip to length by holding against your racquet. Snip any flared part.

2. Remove old grip. I get most old glue or paper tape, but I figure if it's pretty firmly on there, it must be okay, and don't get to scrupulous on this part. There is one staple on the OEM 'wrap' type racquets that you will want to remove with a small screwdriver, or penknife.

3. Remove your thong. Next, remove thong from racquet .

4. Stretch the grip using two fingers extended into the new grip. This doesn't have to be major stretch-action, but it does help to just loosen it up some. It will not stay stretched out, but don't worry - you've got it ready to go on.

5. Stream about half of the rubber cement that comes with the grip package down into the inside of the grip, then close the grips sides together and sqootch (tm) the sides of the grip around until it's evenly distributed. This is key - the rubber cement is going to act as a lubricant, so any dry areas will stop the process half-way, and cause curse words to be emitted vigorously from your mouth.

If you buy grips in bulk, they may not come with their very own little tube of glue. Try gasket sealer, available from your neighborhood "Pep Boy's", or any auto parts store. Looks and smells just like racquet grip adhesive. The can of sealer even comes with a handy-dandy brush that makes application a snap. No muss, no fuss.

6. Squeegee the remaining half of the glue onto the racquet handle - be sure to get the flared end-cap really well. This is as important as getting the grip totally wetted.

7. Don't wait too long between steps 5, 6, and 8 ! You should have had one beer *before* you started, and one congratulatory brew *after* you are done. However, step 7 is NOT the time for a break.

8. Slide the grip onto the racquet. Do this over a newspaper, 'cause it's gonna drip glue like crazy. More glue comes out than stays on, but don't worry, it comes right off of the racquet frame, but your carpet wouldn't like it! If you've prepped the grip right, this part will be a piece of cake, and the grip will go on in one smooth motion. I used to believe it *had* to go on in just one motion, but there is some 'give' - such that even once it's seated, you can wiggle it a little to get the edges exactly where you want them. Don't move it too much once the thing starts to set up, tho', or you will have a loose grip before long. Very frustrating when they slip between the grip and frame!

After installing a grip, there is often a 2-3" portion of grip directly above the knob at the bottom of the handle that is suspended above the surface of the handle. Kindof like a bridge, since the flare of the knob partially pulls the grip away from the surface of the handle. I hate this - it bothers the heck out of me when I play. The guy who used to string my racquets showed me a trick: after the grip is on but before the adhesive has dried, take a shoe string and wrap it in a spiral all the way down the handle. This will hold the grip flush against the entire length of the handle. Leave overnight. Remove shoe string before playing :-)

9. Let it sit just like that all night. I always do my grips late night, so I'm not tempted to play on 'em before the glue dries. Don't play with clean-up now; don't put the thong back on! Just grab a brew, and let the racquet stew. Once the thing sits overnight, THEN you peel off the extra rubber cement, re-attach your racquet thong (a bent paper clip is good for 'fishing' the string through the eye) and you are ready to go.

10. For a finished look, you can save the thin tape from the original grip, or the little rubber belt on E-Force racquets, reaffix it where the grip meets the throat of the racquet, and it will look like a real professional job.

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