This Wheeley Bar is designed to work primarily with the following telescopes:

ATS Portable Pier mount (depending on weight of telescope and configuration of pier legs);

Celestron C14, CI-700 mount (CGE scopes and mount require the 10" wheel upgrade version #BWBAR10);

Meade LX200 12” and 14” (Ritchey-Chrétien, GPS and non-GPS) with giant field tripod, LXD700 and 750 mounts, RCX400 10” through 14”;

Mountain Instruments MI-8P mount; and

Particle Wave Technologies Monolith Pier mount.

The Wheeley Bar adjusts to fit a tripod leg tip-to-tip distance of 48” to 56” so telescope tripods not listed above that adjust to those dimensions can also be used. For more details, click on the “tip-to-tip distance” icon above. The tips of your telescope tripod’s legs fit into 2.75” diameter receptacles at the ends of the three arms of the Wheeley Bar’s sturdy painted steel tripod base. This Wheeley Bar has fully locking 5” diameter polyurethane wheels in place of the standard 2-3/8” hard rubber wheels. It raises your mount 6.75” off the ground. It is designed to be used with the tripod legs fully retracted to keep the center of gravity low and allow the telescope to be moved through doorways more easily. Locking wheels and leveling screws on the Wheeley Bar allow you to move, lock, and level the complete telescope assembly with ease.

Due to the extra weight of the telescopes typically used with this Large Wheeley Bar, extra bracing is added between the three legs of the Wheeley Bar to add strength and rigidity to the assembly. This adds stability to the scope by keeping the legs from twisting if one wheel hangs up temporarily on an uneven surface.

The large 5” wheels on this Wheeley Bar let you maneuver on rough surfaces such as grass, dirt and gravel, as well as on uneven hard surfaces such as flagstone paving. A pull handle and set of six optional larger diameter 10” (#WB10) pneumatic wheels are available – either at the time you buy your Wheeley Bar, or as a later upgrade – so you can maneuver on very rough terrain without snagging the wheels or sinking into soft ground.

A word of warning. Great care must be taken in maneuvering on rough or uneven natural surfaces, particularly when wet, as the wheels may sink below the surface and snag unexpectedly. We do not recommend using this Wheeley Bar on rough surfaces under adverse conditions, especially if you have a very heavy telescope. Care should also be used when moving the system on smooth surfaces. Be certain the tripod legs are fully and firmly inserted into the Wheeley Bar’s leg receptacles. Pull or push the system only by gripping the telescope tripod below the center of gravity, particularly with a heavy scope mounted on the Wheeley Bar. Do not push the top of the scope to get it moving, particularly on uneven surfaces. Astronomics and JMI are not responsible for incorrect loading or operation.