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Loading a 25" Obsession into a 2001 Toyota 4Runner
Here are some pictures showing just how portable a 25" Obsession telescope really is. I used to have a 20" Obsession that fit very easily into this 4Runner but was a bit uncertain that I would be able to fit the 25" in the same space.
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Here's the 4Runner with the ramps ready to receive the telescope. Unfortunately, the rocker bearings and mirror box are too big to fit. The main restriction is the height at the lift gate opening and being able to clear the rocker bearings on the telescope mirror box. The rocker bearing height is 35" but the 4Runner cargo height is only 34" from floor to roof.
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My
solution was to use a small foam block to tilt the mirror box enough to
allow the tops of the rocker bearings to fit through the cargo opening. |
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Once that obstacle was out of the way then everything else fit just fine. The only other difference between the 20" and the 25" is that I have to remove the handles during transport. The handles on the 25" are about 6 ft long, whereas the handles on the 20" were about 4 ft long and easily fit in the 4Runner. I modified the handles using a design from Bernie Dufresne and got rid of the screw knobs. Now I just have to insert (or remove) 2 pins (1 for each handle) instead of having to crank on the 4 knobs that originally came with the scope. There's even enough room for a chair and folding table, and then some. |
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I did get a taller ladder and transport this on the roof rack just as I did for the ladder for the 20". Except for the ladder, you would never guess that there is a 25" telescope in this vehicle. |
