Heavy-Duty · 300 lb capacity

Find your Heavy-Duty Universal Wheeley Bar

Q: Why do I lower the tripod before measuring?

The wheels raise your whole setup, about 6 inches for 5-inch casters or 3.5 inches for 10-inch pneumatic tires. Lowering the tripod by that amount first keeps your eyepiece at the same comfortable height once the bar is under it, and gives you the true tip-to-tip distance the bar will see.

Q: What if my tip-to-tip distance falls between two models?

Because tripod legs splay at a fixed angle of about 30 degrees, changing the tripod height changes the tip-to-tip distance by roughly the same amount, about 1 inch of tip-to-tip per 1 inch of height. If you land in the gap between two models, raising or lowering the tripod a couple of inches shifts your stance into one model's range.

Q: Should I choose casters or pneumatic tires?

5-inch polyurethane casters roll smoothly over concrete, pavement, and indoor floors. 10-inch pneumatic tires handle grass, dirt, and gravel. Both are selectable on every Heavy-Duty model.

Q: How much weight do the Heavy-Duty Wheeley Bars hold?

All three Heavy-Duty Universal models, Shorty, Medium, and Large, are rated to 300 lb total, including the tripod, mount, optical tube, and accessories.

Three quick questions about your wheels and tripod, and we'll match you to the Heavy-Duty JMI Wheeley Bar that fits — so you can roll your fully assembled telescope outside in one trip, no disassembly.

1

Choose your wheel type

A selectable option on every Heavy-Duty model. The wheels raise your setup, so the calculator lowers your tripod to keep your eyepiece at the same comfortable height.

2

Set & measure your tripod height

Set your mount to the tripod height you normally observe at and measure it (ground to the top of the tripod head). Enter it below — we'll give you the lowered height to set so the wheels don't change your eyepiece position.

Your usual tripod height inches

3

Measure tip-to-tip distance

With the tripod at the lowered height from Step 2, measure the straight-line distance between the tips of any two tripod legs. Enter it below.

Tip-to-tip distance inches

Know your number already? Type it here — Steps 1 & 2 are optional for the fit check. We'll assume 5″ casters unless you pick pneumatic in Step 1.

Your recommendation

Enter your tip-to-tip distance above and your match will appear here.

HD Shorty

26.25″ – 31.25″

HD Medium

34″ – 42.5″

HD Large

49″ – 56.5″

HD Shorty minimum is 28.25″ when configured with 10″ pneumatic tires.

Heavy-Duty Wheeley Bar size chart

All three Heavy-Duty Universal models carry up to 300 lb. They differ in the tripod tip-to-tip distance they accept. Measure at your lowered observing height, then match the range below.

Model	Capacity	Tip-to-tip range
HD Shorty	300 lb	26.25″ – 31.25″ (28.25″ min with 10″ pneumatic tires)
HD Medium	300 lb	34″ – 42.5″
HD Large	300 lb	49″ – 56.5″

Setup under 50 lb? The standard-duty JMI Medium Universal Wheeley Bar (32.3″–36.8″) may be a more economical fit.

How to measure tip-to-tip distance

Set your tripod to your normal observing height — comfortable eyepiece height for visual use, or as low as practical for imaging stability.
Lower the tripod to account for the lift the wheels add: about 6″ for 5″ polyurethane casters, or about 3.5″ for 10″ pneumatic tires.
Measure the straight-line distance between the tips of any two tripod legs. That number is your tip-to-tip distance.
Match it to the size chart above, or use the finder at the top of this page.

Frequently asked questions

What is tip-to-tip distance and why does it matter?

Tip-to-tip distance is the spread between two of your tripod's feet at observing height. Each Wheeley Bar has tip receptacles spaced for a specific range, so this single measurement confirms whether a given model will fit your tripod.

Why do I lower the tripod before measuring?

The wheels raise your whole setup — about 6″ for 5″ casters or 3.5″ for 10″ pneumatic tires. Lowering the tripod by that amount first keeps your eyepiece at the same comfortable height once the bar is under it, and it gives you the true tip-to-tip distance the bar will see.

What if my tip-to-tip distance falls between two models?

Because tripod legs splay at a fixed angle (about 30°), changing the tripod height changes the tip-to-tip distance by roughly the same amount — about 1″ of tip-to-tip per 1″ of height. If you land in the gap between two models, raising or lowering the tripod a couple of inches shifts your stance into one model's range. The finder above calculates exactly how much to adjust, and how far to extend or retract each leg.

Should I choose casters or pneumatic tires?

5″ polyurethane casters roll smoothly over concrete, pavement, and indoor floors. 10″ pneumatic tires handle grass, dirt, and gravel — take care on soft or wet ground where they can sink in. Both are selectable on every Heavy-Duty model.

How much weight do the Heavy-Duty Wheeley Bars hold?

All three Heavy-Duty Universal models — Shorty, Medium, and Large — are rated to 300 lb total, including the tripod, mount, optical tube, and accessories. For setups under 50 lb, the standard-duty JMI Medium Universal Wheeley Bar is a lighter-duty option.

Still deciding?

Compare every JMI Wheeley Bar and walk through the full sizing guide, or browse the complete lineup.

See the full guide Shop all Wheeley Bars