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

The JMI Soft Ground Feet are a drop-in upgrade for observing on grass, dirt, or gravel. Each foot is a 3″-diameter steel landing pad that threads onto your Wheeley Bar leveling screw in place of the factory rubber tip, spreading the load across roughly 7 sq in (versus about 0.4 sq in for the rubber tip) so the screw won't sink into soft ground. Sold as a set of three — one per leveling screw. Made in the USA by JMI (CXB Astro family).

Product Overview

The factory rubber tips on a Wheeley Bar's leveling screws grip well on concrete or a garage floor, but sink straight into lawn, dirt, or loose gravel under the weight of a loaded mount and OTA — costing you your level and risking a wobble. The Soft Ground Feet replace those tips with wide steel pads that hold a firm, stable purchase all night on soft surfaces.

Who It's For

Any Wheeley Bar owner who sets up on natural ground — a backyard lawn, a dark-sky field, a gravel pad. If your leveling screws currently dig in or wander on soft surfaces, this is the fix.

Key Features & Design

• 3″ landing-pad feet: Spread the leveling-screw load across ~7 sq in so the screw won't sink or wobble.
• Threaded steel construction: Corrosion-resistant finish; replaces the factory rubber tip and fender washer on each screw.
• Complete set of three: One foot per leveling screw — no mixing rubber tips and pads.
• Tool-free install: Threads on by hand in about two minutes for all three.

How to Install

Unscrew the rubber tip and fender washer from the bottom of each leveling screw, then thread a Soft Ground Foot onto the same thread. No tools required — the whole swap takes about two minutes.

Compatibility and Accessory Notes

Select by your leveling-screw diameter:

• 5/8″ version (TPWSGF58): Current HD Medium, HD Large, and HD Shorty bars.
• 1/2″ version: Standard Medium bars and older HD Medium / HD Large model years.

Not sure? Pull one leveling screw and measure the thread diameter — 5/8″ is the current HD standard, 1/2″ is the older standard.

Important Limitations

• Not compatible with Triangle-Style or Sky Trekker Dobsonian bases — different leveling-screw design.
• Order the correct diameter — a 5/8″ foot will not thread onto a 1/2″ screw and vice versa.
• Use all three; mixing feet with factory rubber tips on the same bar causes uneven leveling.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why not just use the factory rubber tips on soft ground?
The rubber tip's contact patch is under half a square inch — on grass or gravel it sinks under load, you lose your level, and the rubber wears early. The Soft Ground Feet spread the same load across about 7 square inches.

Do I need three, or can I buy one?
Three — one per leveling screw. The set includes all three at one price. Mixing feet and rubber tips causes uneven leveling.

Can I leave them on for hard-surface observing?
Yes — they work fine on concrete and pavement, just slightly less compliant on textured hard surfaces. Many observers leave them on year-round.

Do they fit Triangle-Style or Sky Trekker bars?
No — Universal-style Wheeley Bars only.

Bottom Line

A simple, USA-made set of three wide steel feet that let you level confidently on grass, dirt, or gravel instead of sinking in. Just match the set to your leveling-screw size — 5/8″ for current HD bars, 1/2″ for Standard Medium and older HD models.