Prius rubbing noise from front left tire

Hello. Long time lurker here and I finally need some advice. My 2009 Prius Touring has a loud noise that seems to be coming from the front left tire area. The noise sounds like a rubbing/clanking/metallic sound. The noise can be heard very loud up until about 40 mph and then it's barely noticeable above that speed. To best describe the noise, it can sound like rubbing sometimes but it could also sound metallic; like 2 plates are clapping against each other. Also, the steering has been wonky and vibrating. Also, the noise seems to disappear when I apply the brakes. So I could be driving around 30 mph and listening to the loud clanking noise and once I apply the brakes, the noise would be gone. It comes back as soon as I take my foot off the brakes.

I took it to a mechanic earlier and paid for a diagnostic. He said that the problem was a bad driver side tire. He showed me where the driver side tire had been rubbing against the coil spring. The thing is, that particular tire had been replaced after the noise had started. That would mean that I would have had 2 bad tires in a row. Also, I wonder if it's a bad tire, why would the sound stop when the brakes are applied? What is it about a bad tire that makes it rub against the coil spring? It seems to me that it would be a suspension problem. Anyway, I ordered a new tire online and will have it on Tuesday. Still, I don't feel like a new tire would solve my problems since this is the 3rd tire that would be on that side. If anyone has any experience or advice with this, please let me know. Thanks!

 

I have a friend with some jack stands so we can do that next week. Hopefully I can find the problem.