Can lead weights be added to Fischer pallets?

[sstchur]

I'm not familiar with how the Fischer pallets work (other than that I hear they are interchangeable), but I'd rather not remove my grip and overgrip to find out, if someone already happens to know the answer to my question:

Can I add lead weights to a Fischer handle, as shown at the bottom of this page?

http://www.tennis-warehouse.com/LC/customize.html

 

[mdjenders]

yes.

the hairpin (graphite shaft minus the pallets) cross section looks just like that racquet on that TW page, namely two recesses with a separating truss of sorts. you can easily stuff cotton + weights, silicon, or other stuff inside. getting the pallets off is scary to begin with, but simple. the pallets have an integrated "buttcap", so you dont have to worry about removing staples.

factory has them stuck on with some beefy duty double sided adhesive, in addition to the plastic screws. first unscrew the plastic screws (dont overtighten when you reinstall or they will break).

now, you can work the edge of the pallet up nearest the throat (with finger or a screwdriver), then gently work down. tape is at middle, top, and bottom. when you have resistance, just keep working something between hairpin and pallet and wiggle it a bit. tape is so sticky that you can reuse the stick when reinstalling the pallets.

also, that logo at the bottom of the handle is ruined if you rip it off to separate the halves. just leave them joined at the bottom like that, where the pallets make a v shape when you pull off. use some care and it can be saved.

 

[sstchur]

yes.

the hairpin (graphite shaft minus the pallets) cross section looks just like that racquet on that TW page, namely two recesses with a separating truss of sorts. you can easily stuff cotton + weights, silicon, or other stuff inside. getting the pallets off is scary to begin with, but simple. the pallets have an integrated "buttcap", so you dont have to worry about removing staples.

factory has them stuck on with some beefy duty double sided adhesive, in addition to the plastic screws. first unscrew the plastic screws (dont overtighten when you reinstall or they will break).

now, you can work the edge of the pallet up nearest the throat (with finger or a screwdriver), then gently work down. tape is at middle, top, and bottom. when you have resistance, just keep working something between hairpin and pallet and wiggle it a bit. tape is so sticky that you can reuse the stick when reinstalling the pallets.

also, that logo at the bottom of the handle is ruined if you rip it off to separate the halves. just leave them joined at the bottom like that, where the pallets make a v shape when you pull off. use some care and it can be saved.

Thanks! This is super helpful!

 

[Steve Huff]

Read the "don't overtighten or they will break" twice. They are pretty fragile, and break easily.

 

[sstchur]

I was able to get to do this and I made sure not to over tighten.

However, I'm confused about something -- maybe someone can help me.

When I got the pallet off and looked in the handle, one side was filled with like foam and junk and one side was completely empty.

I didn't think too much of it, and I just added the lead I desired (15g weight on a digital kitchen scale).

This brought my total weight to 363g.

However, here's what's got me confused. I have 3 other, unmodified Fischer racquets that are the same. They all weight 341g. I have a Gamma Hi-Tech grip on all 4 of them and one overgrip on each of them. The overgrips are all different brands, but I can't imagine that that would account for more than a gram or two's worth of weight difference.

If I were to add 15g of lead to any of my other 3 Fischers, the total would NOT be 363!

But these are all the No Tolerance line, so something is odd.

That got my wondering... since I bought these used, maybe that junk in one side of the handle was put there by the previous owner, which is making it weight more than all the other 3?

So I opened up another one but it too had stuff in one side of the handle. So now I'm really confused.

4 racquets
All the same model: Fischer Pro Number One 98
All same grip size
All No Tolerance
All strung (different strings)
All have same grip: Gamma Hi-Tech
All have an overgrip (different brands)

The only difference I see there is that they're all strung differently. But the heavier one is string with a poly / synth hybrid, and one of the lighter ones is strung with a poly / multi hybrid, so I'd expect that to be pretty much the same.

What might I be missing here?

 

[mdjenders]

dunno, but the junk in the bottom is normal. i had several of these, and for two of em some cotton/silicone was at the base of the handle, just on one side as you mention. mine were always right on in terms of static weight, however.

 

[sstchur]

dunno, but the junk in the bottom is normal. i had several of these, and for two of em some cotton/silicone was at the base of the handle, just on one side as you mention. mine were always right on in terms of static weight, however.

You know, I don't know what it is. I just took two racquets apart completely. I removed all the lead from the one and weighed them and they were identical.

Then I weighed the grips, the overgrips, the pallets. All identical.

Bizarre. In any case, I'm doing two together this time and I can weigh them at different stages as I go so they're sure to remain identical.