regardless of what the problem may be, i don't think i would want to test out theories and possible solutions if i had to test drive it and risk the consequences of a missed diagnosis. i would just get a new freehub or hub altogether and maybe a cassette too.

i'm pretty cheap when it comes to these things and i love a mystery as much as the next guy, but the thought of the thing letting go when massive torque is being applied and then slamming my crotch down on the toptube as a consequence and after all that having to live with the fact that whatever i had thought was the problem was indeed NOT the problem, well, i have my limits.