Rule M17
 

Rule M17 states that "Traction devices may not have surface features such as metal or hard plastic studs, cleats or other attachments. <NOTE HERE TO TEAMS!!!> The outer surface of off-the-shelf wheels may be modified by REMOVING TREAD MATERIAL ONLY." so it is now illegal to wrap the wheelchair wheels with anything?

Note that later on (additional materials list) it makes references to being able to put belts on wheels, and that belts used for traction don't count as belts for cost purposes.

Belt aren't metal or hard plastic, are they? A good judge i think would be if it penetrated the metal mesh ramp: they said we couldn't do this at all. Otherwise, i think it would be okay....

lauren

Look at the Restricted Parts List. It says you can use any belt from anywhere as a traction device.

So does anyone know if it is within the reason of the rules for my team to cast themselves some rubber treads?

I dont know why you would want to do that... Just buy some from Breco-Flex, McMaster Carr, or MSC. They have any combination of size/width/material that you could ever want.

What I was refering to was that altho it stated that you may use belt for a traction device, by the wording of the other rules you cannot attach it to off the shelf wheels. Or modify off theshelf wheels other than cutting tread into them.

Breco Flex makes very high quality belts - very expensive, but apparently worth the money - very, very high quality belts.

Re: Rule M17
 

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I interpreted that in the same way you did. Since attaching tread is NOT removing tread, it is illegal to do on off the shelf wheels.