how does one go about making a 6 wheel config drivetrain?

[RyanN]

Team Fusion has used #25 chain for many years now, and have only suffered once. This was last year, during the Bayou Regional when we used some Chinese chain that wasn't worth the weight it took on our robot and cost us the regional. We are now using Diamond chain, and are very happy with it. We have never had a chain break before in the 4 year's I've been on the team. Tensioning is the key. You cannot have slack with #25 chain in your drive train, as a whiplash can cause it to snap. In 2007 and before, we went with plastic sprockets for idlers, but this caused some trouble last year when we snapped the axle that the idler was running on. Now we're using nylon blocks and some hardened steel for tensioners (We put these on in Houston last year, and made something very similar this year). We have been very happy with this method. We use nylon block, but some certain type from McMaster Carr that has some lubrication fused into the nylon. I don't remember what it was called, but it works very well.

This year however, we used kevlar reinforced timing belts with aluminum pulleys. Around 1/6 of the weight of a comparable chain and sprocket setup, with very little noise and a very sleak design. I love them, and I see no reason to stop using them. See here: http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/photos/30256

How are the belts working this year? We used belts in 2003, and I know it slips real bad, but the belts are 6 years old now and the idler is stretched to the max.