Have a rubbing noise in the steering that started around 50K miles.

Yes stock tire size. The feeling you have in the steering wheel, and the noise makes you think this is coming from the steering column. It doesn't seem to do in when the air temperature is 40 or above. It is nothing like snow/ice build up since I live in the desert. It is not a wheel bearing or brake type noise. But it is a metallic type of noise...like dry bearings in the steering column if there was such a thing,