How to Fix a Broken Batting Tee [Is It Worth the Hassle?]

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“A batting tee is the single-most effective tool for making you a better hitter.” That’s what my coach used to tell me as he had me hit off a tee for hours at a time.

Back then, I got tired and frustrated pretty quickly. Looking back now, I get exactly what he was doing. A tee lets you work on the basics. Without a ball flying at you at high speed, you can focus on your stance, your hitting technique, and your swing mechanics without any added pressure. If you’re still not sold on tee work, I broke down why hitting off a batting tee is such a good practice in a separate guide.

That’s why I always have my hitters work on their swing with a tee. One of the first tees I bought for my team cracked at the base one summer, and I couldn’t afford a replacement right away. So I decided to fix it myself. I’d handled enough DIY projects before that I figured it wouldn’t be too hard.

And to be fair, it wasn’t much of a challenge. But by the time I was done, I’d spent more on parts and tools than I would have on a brand new tee. It was fun tinkering and picking up a new skill, but money-wise, it wasn’t the smart move.

Still, if you’re in a similar spot and want to give the repair a shot anyway, I’m not going to stop you. Here’s the exact process I used to fix a broken batting tee base, plus a few other common failure points and how to handle them.

How to Fix a Broken Batting Tee

Repairing a batting tee really isn’t too difficult if you’re handy with a couple of power tools and drills. In my case, the tee snapped at the bottom, where the base meets the tube. Thankfully, the bottom of the tube snapped cleanly and was pretty flat, which made everything a bit easier.

My plan was to add a steel plate to the base and attach it to the tube by pushing it through. The original design used rubber for reinforcement, but rubber tears over time. Steel doesn’t break down anywhere near as fast.

I also used washers to tighten everything up so the tee wouldn’t topple over. Once I had a plan, I started listing out what I needed.

Disclaimer: I’d honestly recommend just buying a new batting tee if you’re not comfortable messing around with drills and tools. This repair takes a fair bit of work, and even if you nail it, it won’t feel quite the same as a replacement tee. But since I like doing things my own way, that wasn’t a dealbreaker for me.

Here’s what you’ll need to replicate my repair steps:

  • Adjustable wrench
  • WD-40
  • Vice
  • Drill bits – 5/8 and 3/8 inches
  • 16-gauge steel plate
  • Four nuts and bolts (3/8 inches diameter, 1.5 inches length)
  • Eight 3/8 inch fender washers
  • One 5/8 inch fender washer

Once you’ve got everything on hand, you can get started with the repair.

Step – 1

Take the tube that separated from the base and inspect it thoroughly. This is a good chance to clean the tube out, so take it. Spray the inside with WD-40 and get your drill ready. You’ll probably notice the bottom of the tube still has the original nut and bolt attached. Don’t remove it right away. Wash it with WD-40 first and use it to confirm the size of bolts and nuts you’ll need.

Step – 2

Next, prep the tube so you can remove the damaged bolts. Clamp it down in the vice and tighten it up well so you can remove the old bolts with your wrench. Apply enough pressure with the vice to keep the tube secure, but not so much that you damage it further. Once it’s locked in place, use your wrench to remove all the bolts at the bottom of the tube.

Step – 3

Once you’ve removed the old bolts and confirmed the sizing, you can toss them. You won’t need them anymore. Next, take the 16-gauge steel plate and mark out its center. Measure the diameter of the bottom of the tube, then cut the steel plate using your 5/8-inch drill bit. You’ll secure the tube to the plate later using fender washers of the right size.

Step – 4

Now attach the plate to the base of the tee. The steel plate should be a bit smaller than the original base. Start by drilling a hole in each corner of the plate, using the 3/8-inch drill bit. Then use that as a reference to mark four points on the base of the tee. Drill four matching holes in the original base, align the steel plate with it, and securely attach it using the appropriate nuts and bolts.

You could get away with smaller bolts, but I wouldn’t recommend it. Thinner bolts won’t be as stable, and the repair might break again if you’re not careful.

Other common batting tee problems (and quick fixes):

  • Cracked or split rubber top: if it’s the top of the tee that’s torn instead of the base, a flexible, waterproof adhesive made for rubber and outdoor use can buy you a few more sessions. It’s a stopgap, not a permanent fix.
  • Wobbly or tipping base: a base that tips over is usually a weight problem, not a broken one. Filling a hollow base with sand, or setting a weight plate on top of it, solves this in a couple of minutes.
  • Stuck height adjustment: if the tube won’t slide up or down anymore, spray the inside with WD-40 and work it up and down a few times before trying to adjust the height again. Dirt and rust buildup is almost always the culprit.

Is it Worth Repairing a Broken Batting Tee?

If I’ve got a broken tee lying around the house with no other purpose, I’ll try to repair it. That’s just the type of person I am. I like tinkering with stuff and squeezing every bit of value out of what I already own. But this isn’t the most practical option for most people.

In most cases, repairing a broken batting tee isn’t worth the hassle. It’s a lot easier to just get a top-quality batting tee. If you take the time to research before buying, you can end up with something sturdier and more durable than what you started with, whether that’s a Tanner Tee, a Jugs batting tee, or something else entirely.

The time it takes to repair a tee is only worth it if you’ve genuinely got time to spare. Maybe you’re a weekend DIY type, and if that’s you, go ahead and experiment all you want.

But if you don’t have the time to mess with a broken tee, keep reading. And if you just want a quick, no-hassle recommendation, the next section has you covered.

My Choice:

TANNER TEE The ORIGINAL Premium Baseball/Softball Batting Tee

As I mentioned, the tee I repaired held up for a couple more months before the tube started warping again. At that point I decided to invest in what I consider the best all-around option out there: the Tanner Original Tee.

This tee adjusts anywhere from 26 to 43 inches, which covers the height range you’d want for hitters from Little League age all the way up to varsity and adult players.

Its biggest strength is the hand-rolled Flextop. The rubber top is flexible enough to bend as you swing, and stiff enough to keep the ball perched perfectly. It also gives the hitter a clean sightline to the ball for solid contact.

Remember how my old tee broke at the base? That’s not something you have to worry about here. The materials are better, and the tube won’t bend or warp out of position the way my old one did.

Another thing going for it is how light it is, checking in at right around 6 pounds. That’s made it easy for me to haul it back and forth between home and practice without any hassle.

The one downside is a bit of a “tee-walking” issue. After a bunch of swings, the tee can shift out of position. You can fix this easily enough by setting some extra weight on the base. Priced right around $100 direct from Tanner (Amazon pricing can run a bit higher or lower depending on the day), the performance you get out of it is hard to beat.

Bottom Line

While you can technically fix a broken batting tee, I’d recommend just buying a new one. The Tanner Original Batting Tee I reviewed as a bonus can serve as a great new addition to your team. If your tee is fairly new and just needs a fix, go ahead and try. But it’s both difficult and time-consuming, so if you’re not handy with tools, don’t have prior DIY experience, or don’t have the patience to experiment, you’ll have a tough time repairing a batting tee. If you want to see how another popular flex-top design stacks up, take a look at our Franklin Flexpro vs. Flex Top batting tee comparison.

Still, the urge to try things out for yourself can be strong. If you want to at least give it a shot, the guideline above should serve you well. Good luck!

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