What's causing wheel noise in a 2011 RAV4?

My mom's 2011 RAV4 just got new struts. The car now makes a rhythmic, road-speed-dependent ticking noise from the front right wheel.

• No change when in neutral;
• No change with brakes applied;
• No change when turning (and CV boot is good);
• Nothing obvious touching the wheel;
• Doesn't look like the axle nut was removed to install the struts, but I'm unfamiliar with how the R&R works (old-Saab weirdo here -- I only know a-arms), so I assume it's tight; and
• Lugnuts are tight.

My experience with failing wheel bearings is limited, but it's always been rumbling and changes when turning; it's never been a ticking sound.

Untrusting stepfather asked me not to touch the car after I jacked it up to inspect (I don't have any tools anyway). I don't know if the shop is any good or treating my elderly folks honestly, so I want to come with them to the shop to least provide a hypothesis.

Any ideas?

Something in the tread?

I had that issue when I had spacers and longer lug bolts put on a car once.  They were just a tad too long and would catch as the wheel went around.  Being a RAV-4 though it should have lug nuts so that shouldn't be the issue

Another thing easy to check: I've had brake dust shields make a "scrape scrape scrape" noise against the edge of the rotor if the shields get slightly bent or rusty and out of shape.

In reply to BlueInGreen - Jon :

Treads are clean.

Jon -- you may be onto something. The car is in Vermont, getting a bit rusty, and isn't driven often. I wonder if the sound has been ongoing but my folks just never noticed it. Thanks

The front brake shields on my Rav4 are disentegrating to nothing, so that's a good thing to check out.