Have a question about hubs...

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Ok so here's the situation, I was on my way home from work a little over a week ago and noticed that my car didn't feel quite "right" which then developed into a ticking noise, which then developed into a knocking noise. At which point I'm freaking the F out because I start thinking it's rod knock, because it's really loud when I push the gas. So I'm on I95 with a knocking car and I'm nursing the old girl to my exit (which was the next exit anyways) and all of a sudden the passenger side rear end drops like I had a blow out or something so I immediately pull over (was next to the shoulder anyways), put on the four ways and get out to check. The motor is still running so I didn't blow it up, all my tires are intact, so that wasn't the problem, I look underneath the car to see if I'm gushing any fluids or if anything is hanging and I look over and hey what do you know the rim is completely off the car. I braked and pulled over before it could fly off totally. Long story short, someone had loosened all the lugs on that wheel and set me up for failure as they were all missing and 1 of the wheels studs was completely snapped off, so I make a call and get new lugs brought out to me, jack up the car, pull the wheel off and inspect everything, only damage I see is the busted stud and the brake shield is bent and a little cut up from the rotor, but beyond that I have no visual damage. Yay me, the lugs get to me just as it starts to rain (FML) and I get the car back on the road, limp it home and park it.

So I go out the next day with the gf's car and get replacement lugs and studs and replace all the studs on that hub (which is a PITA) got it all nice and tight back to spec (80lb/ft torque) and check all the other wheels, which have regular rims and the lugs and pretty much rusted to the rim so i know they aren't going anywhere, I just happened to have a steelie with a bald a** spare on the one I had to replace the studs on. So i take it out and it feels good, brakes good, all good. Here's where my question lies, I've had to drive a ton of miles this week with my car and have noticed a tinging sound coming from that wheel, on inspection it's the locking star thing (sorry don't know what it's called) tapping on the cotter pin and the hub itself. I must have knocked it loose when I was beating the piss out of the old studs to replace them. I'm sure it's nothing major, but the tinging noise it's making is annoying the hell out of me and I feel stupid driving around with it making that noise. What can I do to re tighten the star thing or otherwise make the noise go away? I'd rather not replace the whole hub to make a noise go away but if that's what I gotta do then that's what I gotta do. Is that piece being loose a major issue? The cotter pin is holding strong, the hub itself doesn't make any noise or show any signs of it being bad. Thanks, I know nothing about hubs.

Oh and before you all ask, it's a 95 S14 base model with the original 4 lug hubs and alloy rims.

[benarovi561]

star thing? wtf is that? take the hub off and see if there is any play in the bearing might of knocked it loose or something needing pressing in.

[Chaotic_Warlord]

Seriously? Come on people help a guy out here...