Steering free play comes from:

1) Inner and outer columns wiggling – solution: drill the columns (under the air cleaner) and bolt them tightly together. Of course this means that the column will NOT collapse in an accident.

2) Inner steering column fit to pinion – this is clamped with a 1/4-28 bolt and sometimes, no matter how tight you draw the bolt and nut, it will not flex the female splines on the inner column enough – solution is to remove the column, heat and squeeze the female spline adaptor a bit, and redrill it to accept a 5/16-24 bolt.

3) There is play between the pinion and rack – solution is to remove the plunger assembly above the pinion on the rack housing and remove some of the brass shims. If you remove too many the steering will tighten up, especially at full lock (left or right) – you may have to fiddle arround to get the right number of shims. Be sure to oil the rack and pinion with 80/90 hypoid through that adjuster shim hole.

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