JMI Wheeley Bars
Stop breaking down your telescope. Just roll it out and observe.
Wheeley Bars are telescope dollies that let you move your entire assembled rig — tripod, mount, scope, cameras, cables, everything — from storage to your observing site in one trip. Lock the wheels, level the base, and start observing. No more disconnecting and reconnecting electronics. No more sore back.
The Problem Every Astronomer Knows
You spent an hour setting up your imaging rig last night. Polar aligned your mount. Connected the guide camera, the imaging camera, the dew heaters, the power cables, the USB hub. Got everything plate-solving and tracking perfectly.
Now it's morning and you need to move it all back inside. That means tearing everything down, carrying it piece by piece, and doing the entire setup again tomorrow night. Most astronomers lose 30-60 minutes on each end of every session just setting up and breaking down.
A Wheeley Bar eliminates all of that. Your telescope stays fully assembled. Roll it out, lock the wheels, level it, and observe. Roll it back in when you're done. Your cable routing, your balance — everything stays exactly where it was.
Choose Your Wheeley Bar
Wheeley Bars come in two weight classes. The Heavy-Duty line handles serious imaging rigs up to 300 lbs. The Standard line is perfect for lighter visual setups under 50 lbs.
| Model | Price | Capacity | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| HD "Shorty" | $615 | 300 lbs | Imagers — lowest profile for maximum stability |
| HD Medium | $615 | 300 lbs | Most tripod/pier setups — the most popular size |
| HD Large | $615 | 300 lbs | Wide tripod footprints and large pier setups |
| Standard Medium | $449 | 50 lbs | Lighter visual rigs on flat surfaces |
Heavy-Duty: Built for Serious Rigs
The HD Wheeley Bars are engineered for the heaviest telescope setups — imaging rigs with counterweights, guide scopes, cameras, and accessories that add up fast. Steel construction with a 300 lb capacity means your equipment is secure.
Two Wheel Configurations
Every Wheeley Bar can be configured with caster wheels for hard surfaces or 10" pneumatic tires for grass, dirt, and gravel. Choose based on your terrain.
Caster Wheels
Locking casters for garage floors, patios, driveways, and other hard flat surfaces. Raises your setup by 6 inches. The default configuration for most users.
10" Pneumatic Tires + Tow Handle
For grass, dirt, gravel, and uneven terrain. Includes a tow handle for easy pulling. Raises your setup by 10.25 inches. Essential for dark sky sites and backyard observatories on natural ground.
How to Size Your Wheeley Bar
Getting the right size is critical. You need to measure the tip-to-tip distance between any two tripod legs at your preferred observing or imaging height.
Set Up Your Telescope
Set your tripod at the height you normally observe or image at. For imagers, go as low as possible for stability.
Measure Tip-to-Tip
Measure the distance between the tips (feet) of any two adjacent tripod legs. This is your tip-to-tip distance.
Account for Height
Remember that the Wheeley Bar raises your setup by 6" (casters) or 10.25" (pneumatic). Adjust your tripod height accordingly.
Select Your Size
Match your tip-to-tip measurement to the Shorty, Medium, or Large. Each size has a min and max wingspan listed on the product page.
Heavy-Duty Universal Wheeley Bars
For tripod-mounted and pier-mounted telescopes up to 300 lbs. All three sizes are the same price — choose based on your tripod's tip-to-tip distance.
HD "Shorty"
Lowest profile for maximum imaging stability. Designed specifically for astrophotographers who run their tripods low.
HD Medium
The most popular size. Fits the majority of tripod and pier setups at standard observing height.
HD Large
For the widest tripod footprints and large pier setups that need maximum spacing.
Standard Medium
For lighter visual rigs under 50 lbs. Hard flat surfaces standard; pneumatic tire upgrade available for uneven ground.
Astro-Physics Pier Mount
Specifically designed for Astro-Physics pier mount setups. Same 300 lb HD capacity and build quality.
Who Uses JMI Wheeley Bars
Astrophotographers
Imaging rigs are the most complex and time-consuming setups to build and tear down. A Wheeley Bar means your polar alignment, cable routing, and camera framing survive between sessions. Imagers from backyard observatories in the Texas Hill Country to rooftop setups in the Northeast rely on Wheeley Bars to maximize their imaging time.
Visual Observers
Even a simple visual setup benefits from staying assembled. Roll your SCT or refractor from the garage to the driveway in 30 seconds. Popular at star parties from the Winter Star Party in the Florida Keys to the Oregon Star Party and Okie-Tex in the Oklahoma Panhandle.
Backyard Observatories
If you observe from home — garage, shed, patio, or dedicated roll-off — a Wheeley Bar is the simplest observatory solution that doesn't require construction. Store your telescope fully assembled on the Wheeley Bar, roll it out through the garage door, and observe. Popular across the Sun Belt, the Pacific Northwest, and anywhere with frequent clear skies.
Astronomy Clubs & Schools
Outreach telescopes that live in storage rooms become usable in minutes instead of requiring a trained volunteer to assemble them. Schools and astronomy clubs across the country use Wheeley Bars to make their equipment accessible to more people.
Dobsonian Owners: We've Got You Too
Dobsonian telescopes are a different beast — heavy OTAs sitting on ground boards instead of tripods. Our Sky Trekker series is purpose-built for Dobs, with sizing based on your ground board's foot spacing.
Sky Trekker 200
For smaller Dobsonian telescopes. Measure center-of-foot to center-of-foot on your ground board to confirm fit.
Sky Trekker 300
For larger Dobsonian telescopes. Built to handle the weight and footprint of 12" and larger Dobs.
What the Astro Community Is Saying
"I can move my entire imaging rig from the garage to the driveway in under a minute. No more disconnecting cables. The Wheeley Bar changed how often I actually get out and image."
"Built like a tank. I have a heavy 11-inch SCT on a CGEM mount with all the imaging accessories. The HD Wheeley Bar handles it effortlessly. The leveling bolts are a nice touch."
"I observe three to four times more often now because setup takes 30 seconds instead of 30 minutes. That alone was worth the investment. Should have bought one years ago."
Ready to Save Your Back — and Your Observing Time?
Configure your Wheeley Bar with the right size and wheel option for your setup. Every Wheeley Bar is made in the USA with steel construction, locking wheels, and built-in leveling bolts.
Shop All Wheeley Bars →Need help choosing? Measure your tripod tip-to-tip distance and contact us — we'll help you pick the right size.