We use belts in our Drive Train and use exact center to center distances. That allows us to skip the tensioner all together. Although in the real world exact C to C is not recommended it is not a problem for FRC robots. We have been using this style of drive train for the last three seasons and we have never had a belt fail or slip. I highly recommend it to all teams.
If you are going to use belts, I would suggest using a 5mm HDT belt that is 15mm wide. We typically use 24 tooth pulleys, you might be able to go a bit smaller, but I cannot say that we have tried it. The WCP center to center calculator works excellent.
http://www.wcproducts.net/how-to-belts/
Before you machine any parts, order your belts and pulleys. If they are out of stock you will be kicking yourself in the end, we know from experience.
Eventually, the "less effective" tweaks will settle to the bottom, and the more effective ones will be assimilated by the group. Then someone will tweak the tweak. That's when the fun begins. - Billfred [more] 
26-03-2014, 09:18
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