Soft Ground Foot, set of three (3) for Wheeley Bars

Product Overview

JMI Soft Ground Feet replace the factory rubber tips on a Wheeley Bar's three leveling screws with 3″-diameter steel landing pads. The wider pad spreads each screw's share of the load across roughly 7 sq in, against about 0.4 sq in for the rubber tip it replaces — a little over fifteen times the contact area, which is what keeps the screw from pressing down into lawn, dirt or loose gravel under a loaded mount and OTA. The set covers all three screws and weighs 2 lb. Made in the USA by JMI, part of the CXB Astro family.

Who It's For

This is a good match if you…

• Observe from a lawn, a gravel pad, a mulched yard or a dark-sky field rather than a concrete slab.
• Have watched a leveling screw sink and lose your level partway through a session.
• Carry a heavy imaging load, where the per-screw pressure on soft ground is highest.
• Want a change that threads on with your fingers rather than one that modifies the bar.

Key Features & Design

• 3″ landing pad: Spreads the leveling-screw load over roughly 7 sq in, compared with about 0.4 sq in for the factory rubber tip.
• Threaded steel body: Corrosion-resistant finish, sized to thread straight onto the existing leveling screw.
• Complete set of three: One foot per leveling screw, so the whole bar sits on the same footing.
• Direct replacement: Takes the place of the factory rubber tip and fender washer on each screw.
• Tool-free swap: About two minutes for all three, by hand.
• Two thread sizes: Matched to the 5/8″ and 1/2″ leveling screws used across the Wheeley Bar line.

Mechanical Design

The pressure a leveling screw puts into the ground is its share of the load divided by the area it rests on. A rubber tip concentrates that into under half a square inch, which is fine against concrete but exceeds what turf or loose gravel supports — the tip sinks, and because the three screws rarely sink at the same rate, the bar goes out of level while it does. Each Soft Ground Foot threads onto the same screw and presents a 3″ disc instead, dropping the pressure by roughly the same factor its area gains. The steel pad also spans small voids and stones rather than settling into them, so the footing holds through the night instead of drifting.

Recommended Uses

• Backyard sessions on grass, where rubber tips would press into the turf under a loaded mount.
• Dark-sky sites and star party fields on dirt, mulch or sand.
• Gravel driveways and pads, where a narrow tip settles between stones.
• Long imaging runs that depend on the bar holding its level for hours without a re-check.
• Year-round use, including hard surfaces, for anyone who would rather not swap tips by season.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

These feet thread onto the leveling screws of JMI Universal-style Wheeley Bars, and the version is chosen by screw thread diameter:

• TPWSGF58 — 5/8″ leveling screws: the current HD Medium, HD Large and HD Shorty bars.
• TPWSGF12 — 1/2″ leveling screws: the Standard Medium bar and older HD Medium / HD Large model years.

JMI's Triangle Style bars and the Sky Trekker series use a different leveling-screw design and fall outside this fit. The thread diameter reads off a screw backed out of the bar with calipers or a rule: 5/8″ is the current HD standard, 1/2″ the earlier one. Tell us your Wheeley Bar model or its model year and we'll confirm which set matches.

Good to Know Before You Order

• The set is three feet at one price. One per leveling screw, since a bar running a mix of pads and rubber tips levels unevenly.
• The two thread sizes are not interchangeable. A 5/8″ foot will not thread onto a 1/2″ screw, and the reverse holds as well.
• The factory rubber tip and fender washer come off. They are worth keeping in the accessory box if you ever want the original footing back.
• On textured hard surfaces the steel pad is less compliant than rubber. It works on concrete and pavement without marking either, simply with less give.
• Shipping weight is 2 lb for the set. The Wheeley Bar and its leveling screws are supplied separately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it difficult to install?

No. Each rubber tip and its fender washer unscrew from the bottom of the leveling screw by hand, and the Soft Ground Foot threads onto the same thread in their place. JMI puts the whole job at about two minutes for all three, with no tools involved.

Why not stay with the factory rubber tips on soft ground?

The rubber tip's contact patch is under half a square inch. On grass, dirt or gravel that concentrates the load enough for the tip to press down into the surface, taking your level with it and wearing the rubber early. The feet spread the same load over roughly 7 sq in.

Can I buy just one foot?

The product is a set of three at one price, matching the three leveling screws on the bar. Mixing feet with rubber tips on one bar leaves the three corners sitting differently.

Can they stay on for hard-surface observing?

Yes — they work on concrete and pavement, slightly less compliant than rubber on textured surfaces. Many observers leave them fitted year-round.

Which set fits my bar?

The 5/8″ set fits current HD Medium, HD Large and HD Shorty bars; the 1/2″ set fits Standard Medium and older HD Medium / HD Large model years.

Do they fit Triangle Style or Sky Trekker bars?

No — those use a different leveling-screw design. These feet cover the Universal-style bars only.

Bottom Line

In short: three USA-made steel feet, 3″ across, that thread onto a Wheeley Bar's leveling screws in place of the rubber tips and spread each screw's load over roughly 7 sq in instead of 0.4, so the bar holds its level on grass, dirt and gravel. The 5/8″ set suits current HD bars, the 1/2″ set suits Standard Medium and older HD models.