Originally Posted by
JohnDThompson
Don't be so sure. Having three points of contact in a load bearing structure tends to distribute forces equally over all three parts. That's why all modern freehubs are designed around having sets of three pawls engage simultaneously.
No, the 3-legged stool really is a bad analogy, and it is not true that all modern free hubs are designed around three pawls engaging simultaneously. Plenty of 4 pawl designs out there.
Unlike a stool legs - for which three is the largest number that still perfectly engages uneven surfaces with all three legs - there is nothing special about three pawls that guaranties they will engage evenly if something is misaligned.