[Andy Baker]

Treads are not trivial to design, build, and maintain. While they might not be to the level of "nightmare", they sure cause some sleepless nights.

The advantage of treads are:
1. Increases your ability to climb things
2. Provides a bit more traction, depending on the playing surface

The disadvantages of treads are:
1. Requires more weight allotment compared to wheels
2. Reduces your driving power due to a less efficient drivetrain (the belts must be pulled very tight in order to stay on, causing high side loads on your pulleys and bearings)
3. The cost is very high (more expensive bearings, numerous pulleys, costly treads, more spare parts).
4. They take longer to design and build. Our team has never been able to get a tread system driving before week 4. Prepare to have very little drive practice.
5. Losing a tread = losing a match

If you are putting treads on your robot, keep your belt tight, keep your pulleys aligned, and be sure to put a "bow" on the bottom surface of your tread (middle pullies should be lower than outer pullies).

That's just my opinion. Others might have had an easier time with these treads, but after putting them on team 45's robot for 4 out of the last 5 years, this is how I see things.

Andy B.