[IKE]

If it is not hurting their grades, then what is really the issue with people cadding up ideas and submitting them for criticism and critique. Granted about 50% of the responses could be run from Auto-pilot, but so be it. I am sure that each one fo the students that threw their hat in the ring got some good advice. I really like Schreiber's sketch because it reminds us to do some figuring first, but we should all turn the snarkiness down just a bit on students that are excited about drawing up their ideas. While most would pass as loose interpretations of role model designs, they have brought up a lot of good responses like chain tensioner planning and design, chassis stiffness, how to make your chassis rock...
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Warning: Slight thread Hijack

Maybe those that are tired of seeing renders should work on a compliation paper of different 6WD designs, fabrication techniques, andd what teams love and hate about them. I know a couple posters in this thread have already done some great work on this material. Adding to their material and other presentations like Patton's and a few others would be great.

SAE will often do a compiling of papers on subjects that have a common theme and individually are good, but as a whole are more powerful than the sum of their parts. Imagine a 6+WD Chassis book that showcases/benchmarks some of the different ways about doing a 6+WD. Talk with the teams that have these and what they like and dislike about them. You could compile a nice set of papers on:

Architectures: Basic architectures and benchmarking. 6, 8, 10+ WD architectures. Live or dead axles. Cantilevered or fully supported. Direct Drive or chain...
Chain tensioners: types and the pros/cons of different tensioning systems along with the importance of having just the right tension.
Chassis Dynamics: the "why won't my bot turn?" paper along with several others. Pros&Cons of chassis Flex.
Construction and Fabrication techniques: KOP, Sheet metal, welded frame, 8020 frame, wood, plastic...
Power Transmission: Design guidelines for speed/traction philosophies. Designing powertrains with COTS. Custom gearboxes. Chains vs. Belts vs. Geardives.

If this book or collection existed, then you could just point up&coming chassis designers to the collection and off they can go.

IKE