Possible slipper idea??

[BrianG]

Well, if the bearing load thing can be worked out, this could very well work. Like I said; we don't need a clutch, we need protection for the drivetrain - something has to give. So, as long as the slipper will give only at a certain amount of resistance, it'll be golden.

Another CRAZY idea I was thinking about: magnetic slipper. I have a couple magnets I pulled out of a dead harddrive and they are CRAZY STRONG! They can support their weight (with a metal plate attached to them) throught the thickness of my hand. So, put a series of small magnets really close to each other (~0.5mm) in something like a clutch bell. I'm thinking it will be essentially locked unless some kind of outside force breaks them loose. And best of all, no heat when they do slip.

Again, I'm just thinking out loud here...