UPPER STEERING COLUMN BEARING GREASE?

I never found that bearing packed with grease from the factory. I have found it rusty. Grease does create some resistance and collect contaminates. Could be that it got no more than a couple drops of machine oil. Many if not all have a rubber sleeve on the outside to help silence them. I question if its even made of hardened high carbon steel like a typical load duty bearing.
I just rebuilt the column on my 70 Cuda, it definitely had grease in it.