pawls

I am assuming this is there to prevent dirt, water, grit, etc from entering the interior of the freehub body and messing with the ratchet mechanism, pawls, interior bearings, etc.

Technical Q&A with Lennard Zinn: Safe crank removal? 2010

Also, when I coasted, instead of the click-click-click of pawls there was an odd vinyl "whooshing" sound.

BSNYC Product Review: Walmart's Mongoose Cachet "Fixed-Speed" Bicycle BikeSnobNYC 2010

I saw them man the windlass, and across the harbour mouth I heard the clanking of the pawls and the groaning of the chain.

Movie Night 2010

The pawls were dirty and sticking and I had a frozen bearing in the freehub.

Technical FAQ with Lennard Zinn: Keeping cyclocross brakes centered, pulling that PT crank 2010

One of the pawls is sticking, broken, or somehow compromised, or the body is flexing so that one pawl misses its first grab.

Technical FAQ with Lennard Zinn: Keeping cyclocross brakes centered, pulling that PT crank 2010

Indeed, the last thing they'd hear as they rolled to their deaths would be the sound of pawls--the ultimate hipster indignity.

Blows to the Hed: The Price is Blah BikeSnobNYC 2009

Hear the pawls a-ranting: with the bearded men a-chaunting;

The Ghost Pirates 2007

There was a period of time, filled only by the clicking of the pawls and the sounds of the creaking parrel and the running gear.

The Ghost Pirates 2007

A minute of some confusion followed; and then came the click of pawls.

The Ghost Pirates 2007

Some came from within to try for the gate pawls and were cut down as they appeared.

The Covenant of the Forge Parkinson, Dan 1993