Re: Drivetrain Sprocket
 

I have to respectfully disagree - in my experience, it is indeed quite difficult to use #25 chain reliably if you're limited to chop saw/drill press-type construction. It is really quite sensitive to alignment. I know I'm not the only one who has come to this conclusion, as well.

If your team is very good at machining, go for it, but I think telling teams that "the challenges are often overstated" is likely to cause people a lot of undue frustration.

Re: Drivetrain Sprocket
 

It's not significantly different loading in terms of bending for a live or dead axle here - the support is the same distance away in either case. There are good reasons to make the axles dead if you're going with the sprockets out method, though. It does increase the cantilever but not necessarily to the point of failure. I've heard of teams with plenty of success doing this sort of thing.

Not my first choice though.

Re: Drivetrain Sprocket
 

Hmm, you could probably do something like 2451's 2013 drivetrain but put the sprocket on the wheel side of the tube. that'd actually make an extremely solid set up.

EDIT - But I'll echo your sentiment and say not my first choice.

Re: Drivetrain Sprocket
 

If you want to look at the math of the kind of loads chains or belts take and design the system appropriately, you can take a look here:

https://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/3292

I stepped through the math to help with understand the loading. It all depends on the drivetrain setup. #25 chain may work for one style of drive and not another. Belts may work, or you may need #35 chain, just take a look at the math.