Play in steering wheel

[Zei220]

Hello, I wonder if you can help? If I hold the UJ and rock the steering wheel I have about half an inch play in the steering wheel. I have checked for play in the top UJ and found none. I have checked for play in the steering wheel hub and found none.
Any suggestions what could be wrong?

TIA.
dave

[JerryL770]

Look at the rubber supports which hold the steering rack. I think if they fail, the rack can move a little without the wheels moving. The safety bolts prevent excessive movement or complete loss of steering with a loose rack.

[Zei220]

Jerry, Thank you for the suggestion, but the rack mounts are new. I think the problem lays in the upper column because when I rock the steering wheel the movement doesn't show at the UJ end,

[mgcjag]

Is it in/out or up/down movement....shouldn't be difficult....its right in front of you....what's moveing..is the adjuster tight.....can you loosen it and slide the wheel in/out ....are the bolts attaching it to the dash/bulkhead tight

[Zei220]

The steering wheel rotates left and right about half an inch. I cant detect any up down movement. It feels very similar the a wheel out of balance. I can hold the UJ and move the wheel back and forward and the UJ doesn't move, so the problem is within the upper column.

[mgcjag]

If the wheel isnt moveing the uj then check if its bolted to the splines or splines worn..time to dismantle ...Steve

[Zei220]

Steve, that was the conclusion I had come to, but I thought I'd ask just in case I had missed something.

[Zei220]

Ok I think I’ve found the problem, there is play in the column where the column is designed to collapse into its self.