One important factor to consider with tank tread is the size of the powering sprocket. I believe many teams use the 18 tooth sprocket or about that size. However, using the larger sizes can increase the speed of the drive greatly. I don’t have any experience with my own tread drives but I think that this could help speed when moving forward. I don’t know how it would affect turning, however.
Maybe try a Half-track design, I had done one for Starstruck and the beginning of ITZ. I did a short set of rubber then plastic every other, then put two omniwheels on the front. It turned great, and when someone tried to hit me, it didn’t want to move. With the shorter treads, it was better at turning, and pretty quick.
One of my students had a lot of success increase the traction on the treads by making x’s out of rubber bands around the treads. It wasn’t for VRC, but it was using VRC-legal stuff. That won’t improve the turning, but if you’re after more grip, it will help.
Really early season, I wrapped a loop of rubber links around a single sprocket and used four of those as wheels. I built two identical robots, one with the sprocket wheels and one with the 4" wheels and had a pushing fight. It may have been because both robots were really light, but the 4" wheels won.
Wrapping tread around sprockets is not a good idea for wheels. But actual tracks would work better because there is more in contact with the ground.
I was refereeing at the time, so I didn’t have time to look it over very closely. My teams have tried to make tank-tread drives using the 393s in the past and they were terribly slow. The V5 motors are powerful enough to make the tank tread drive work quite well. As I recall it maneuvered quite well, both in turning and had plenty of traction.
I’ve watched a lot of VEX robots, and I believe tank treads make good conveyor belts but poor drivetrains. Unless you are playing on mud, I’d stick to wheels. YMMV.
Old thread, but here’s my input
I was at a competition a week or two ago and was allied with a tank tread bot for qualis. late in the match, a roller on the other alliance got caught, and the tread came off. i strongly recommend against it