Driving home the other night on the freeway at 50 mph the bucket would wander left, then I turned the steering wheel to the right, and the bucket would swerve right, and I would turn left and the bucket swerved left, etc. I was trying to go straight but having Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride. Not fun. At home I could turn the steering wheel 2” either way without any response at the road wheels. What’s up? I traced some of the slop to the manual rack and pinion. Its 30 years old and I thought maybe it was time for a new one. But I found this article on how to adjust the R&P. Seems there is a setscrew that adjusts the clearance between the rack and the pinion. Too much clearance and one gets the slop. I tightened the screw and the slop was gone. I still had a little slop which was in the double U-joint between the steering column and the steering shaft. Just tightened the 2 setscrews on either end of the joint and all slop was gone. Now steering is very responsive. Set the front toe and we are good for the road.
