Another source of play is in the universal joint just on the engine side of
the firewall. If the column is not well aligned, these get eaten up pretty
quickly. There's not many other areas where play might develop. The tie
rod ends are cheap to replace but not likely to give so much play. If the
actual steering wheel is on tightly (worth checking out!) the column through
the firewall is a solid chunk. Likewise, from the U joint (cheap) to the rack
is solid. That much play inside the rack is Bad. Brand new racks are $250
which is pretty cheap for peace of mind. Used racks should be viewed with
suspicion. Go all out to fix the problem - the feel of tight steering is
worth it.
John Sanders
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