Steering column has play, is there a fix for a worn out column?
The steering play can be coming from a couple of places: the rubber/fiber flex joint or the gear box. The joint is simple to replace and most auto parts stock it their misc section. You’ll have to pull the column. To check this joint, make sure the car isn’t running (if you have power steering) and have someone turn the wheel back and forth about a quarter turn. If the joint is bad you’ll see the upper half move than the lower half. If it’s the gear box is sloppy, you’ll see the input shaft moving a lot and the output (pitman arm) almost still. There is an adjustment on the top of the box that can remove a little of the sloop. You can recognize it as a standard screw slot with a locknut. Loosen the locknut and tighten the screw until you feel a slight resistance. Re-tighten the locknut and see if it feels better. It may be necessary to do both to really tighten the steering. If this doesn’t help, look for a new gearbox. Hope this helps.
