Cliff, any heavy slop alone would not be from your rag joint.
It is likely in the box or the linkages. I would never do a universal joint here. Any up/down of the body to frame would be transferred right up into the steering wheel and column, probably ruining the upper column bearings very quick, along with messing with the signal switch.
The joint is really for that body to frame motion, along with any offset of the column relative to the box flange.
That said, do you have a quick ratio box in place?
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65 Laurentian post, 67 Grande Parisienne 4 door HT.
Is it PS or non-PS?
Do NOT install universal joint. It makes the steering very hard on the hands,...there is no "shock absorber" effect as seen with a rag joint. Not for a street car (IMO)
The "free play" you are talking about. Is that turning the steering wheel L to R with the ignition off? (That would be normal)
Also there is an adjustment on the top of the box, that will remove some of the free play, but the box was rebuilt in the last few years. So not that many miles on it, I would not think the box is out of adjustment seeing that steering boxes (Saginaw) will go 100K with no adjustment. Saginaws have been used for 60+ years...
Maybe someone else will jump in here. But I don't think that's a lot "play". Don't confuse the movement with a newer car with rack and pinion, totally different.
Maybe someone else will jump in here. But I don't think that's a lot "play". Don't confuse the movement with a newer car with rack and pinion, totally different.
agree..Cliff,are you looking out your window to see tire movement or just feeling for resistance? Too tight will "jolt" you around the road.