2010 Nissan Altima 2.5SL clicking sound driver's front side

[PhillyKorean]

Hey guys I have an issue I just recently started to take into notice.

I have a 2010 Nissan Altima 2.5 SL and with the 17" factory allow wheels and the tire sizes are 205/55/17

I recently hit a sinkhole (huge pothole) on the highway and there wasn't much room to dodge. I was going about 65 mph and the driver's side rim got a small tiny dent in the back (not sure if it is big enough to cause air to leak out) and also there was a screw stuck in the middle of the tire so I think both could cause the tire to go flat.

I changed the tire into a spare and the spare is a stock steelie spare but it is 235/50/16 so it is 1 inch smaller than the other three tires.

After that incident and the tire change I noticed a clicking sound like what the old school bicycle beads make when the wheel turns.

The noise is constant while in motion and it can get louder or faster the more speed the tire turns at.

I was thinking it is because the driver's side doughnut is smaller than the other three tires but my worst fear is either a cv joint/ball joint or a damaged axle including the struts and shocks. The car isn't bouncy either and during cornering it still does a really good job. The issue I think was there when the regular tire was on it but only at very low speeds but as you sped up it disappeared.

So I am not sure what could be the issue.

[PapaSmurf2k3]

Sounds like a CV axle on the way out that is being accentuated by the different size wheel on that corner (puts the CV axle at more of an extreme angle).

Have you put the old wheel/tire back on, or tried swapping the spare with another one of the wheels on the car to see if it helps?

[mjiacik]

Could have damaged any number things of the wheel that hit the pothole. Clicking could be a damaged ball joint. May need to take it to a cassis specialist. Midas will check it out for free.

[seldomseen]

Youll need to get your car on a lift to properly isolate the noise.