The Treadwheel is tied to the paid Lost Harvest DLC, not the free Chapter 2 story. Funcom describes Lost Harvest as a standalone journey about the downed Mithra spice harvester; completing its mission chain is the direct way to unlock the first Treadwheel schematics. Players without the DLC may still gain access to the vehicle through player trading or shared vehicle permissions, but that does not unlock its research or the Lost Harvest missions.
Finish the four Lost Harvest missions before shopping for parts
The standalone chain runs in this order:
- The Fall of Mithra
- Villari’s Prize
- Digging Deeper
- Secrets of the Past
The completion checkpoint is the end of Secrets of the Past. Afterward, check Research for the Treadwheel Mk4 and its initial modules. If the story is complete but the research remains locked, confirm DLC ownership, the final mission state, and the client/server version before farming materials. Patch 1.4.10 fixed cases in which Lost Harvest contracts could not spawn on self-hosted servers.
Do not confuse Lost Harvest with Chapter 2’s Arrakeen investigation. They launched in the same general update window, but the free story calls and the paid Mithra chain appear as separate Journal entries.
Choose the vehicle tier that matches your refinery
| Treadwheel tier | Fabrication tier | Main metal | Use it when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mk4 | Vehicle Fabricator | Aluminum | You have finished Lost Harvest and can sustain Aluminum components |
| Mk5 | Vehicle Fabricator | Duraluminum | Sheol/Jasmium processing and Duraluminum repairs are routine |
| Mk6 | Advanced Vehicle Fabricator | Plastanium | The Deep Desert loop and rare Tier 6 components are already stable |
Higher is not automatically better for a first build. Every damaged Mk6 part converts a travel mistake into a Plastanium and rare-component bill. An Mk4 you can replace is more useful than an Mk6 that never leaves the base.
Build every mandatory part before using the welding tool
A working Treadwheel needs a hull, chassis, power supply, engine, and two treads of the same vehicle tier. The assembly can look substantial while still missing one side or power component, so count the parts in storage before moving outside.
The material requirements rise predictably with each tier:
- Mk4: Aluminum, water, Advanced Servoks, Cobalt Paste, capacitors, machinery, Armor Plating, Carbide Scraps, and Diamondine Dust.
- Mk5: Duraluminum replaces Aluminum and adds higher-tier regulators or hydraulic parts to selected modules.
- Mk6: Plastanium and Spice Melange join the bill, with overclocked or tri-forged components on the powertrain.
Open each live recipe before the supply run. Balance updates can change exact quantities, and some items come from stations, wrecks, camps, or the Exchange rather than ore nodes. The resource progression route separates those component sources from the metal ladder.
After fabricating, place the chassis on stable buildable ground and assemble in the order the welding interface accepts. Scan the incomplete vehicle after each major part. If no weld point appears, the selected part is probably the wrong tier, already installed, or blocked by placement geometry.
Make the Inventory and Boost slot your main tradeoff
The Treadwheel can carry optional modules such as a passenger seat and scanner. The important conflict is Inventory versus Boost: the build cannot treat both as simultaneous priorities. Choose based on the trip.
| Trip | Primary module | Why | Failure signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ore or component haul | Inventory | Cargo capacity determines how much the return trip is worth | Leaving valuable materials because personal inventory is full |
| Fast contract circuit | Boost | Acceleration and escape time determine the route’s value | Arriving quickly but with no power or safe braking margin |
| New-region scouting | Scanner | Discovery prevents blind detours | Driving past the target while relying only on terrain memory |
| Two-player operation | Passenger seat | Keeps the group on one ground vehicle | Passenger permissions or ownership prevent boarding |
Leave the unused module at your base instead of carrying it in the vehicle during a dangerous trip. Switching roles is useful, but turning every expedition into a field rebuild is not.
Compare the Treadwheel with the Sandbike by route rather than novelty
The Treadwheel offers distinctive acceleration, turning behavior, and its own module set. The Sandbike remains a simple, familiar one-person platform. Test both over the route you actually run:
- Can the vehicle climb or turn through the rocks on that circuit without repeated dismounts?
- Does Boost save more time than Inventory earns in cargo?
- Can the current base repair the damaged tier after one bad worm escape?
- Does the vehicle fit the carrier or storage plan used at the destination?
A short test loop should include acceleration, a tight turn, braking near safe rock, module power use, and one return with cargo. Do that before committing the vehicle to Hagga Rift, The Sheol, or a Deep Desert expedition.
Use non-DLC access without confusing ownership
Players without Lost Harvest may be able to acquire crafted Treadwheel parts through the Player Trade Market, receive parts from someone who can craft them, or become co-owner of a guild vehicle. These routes provide access to the vehicle or its parts, not the DLC license, story, or personal schematic.
Before paying or accepting parts, verify:
- Every mandatory part is present and all are the same Mk tier.
- The account has access to the fabricator and build permissions needed for assembly.
- Co-ownership or guild permissions allow driving, storage, and recovery.
- The repair bill uses materials the account can obtain without the missing research.
Market availability and price are server-dependent. Do not treat a historical listing or a guide’s quoted value as a guaranteed current cost.
Diagnose an incomplete Treadwheel
| Symptom | Likely cause | Check |
|---|---|---|
| No Mk4 research after Lost Harvest | Final mission or license did not register | Secrets of the Past completion, DLC ownership, client/server patch |
| Vehicle will not assemble | Missing/wrong-tier mandatory part | Hull, chassis, PSU, engine, and two matching treads |
| Inventory module cannot coexist with Boost | Expected slot conflict | Choose cargo or speed for this trip |
| Friend can drive but cannot manage cargo | Ownership or guild permission | Co-owner and storage permission settings |
| Recovery is unavailable | Tool, ownership, time, or server-state issue | Vehicle Backup Tool, registered owner, and current recovery window |
The finish line is not simply “the vehicle exists.” It is a matching-tier Treadwheel that starts, turns, carries the selected module, returns from a test circuit, and can be repaired by the account that will use it.