92 NA, Steering Noise/Play
 

Car: 92 Base NA, Manual Steering (not De-Powered power-steering).

Issues:

1) There is about 15 degrees of a "deadzone" in my steering wheel where I can turn the wheel without affecting my steering. This is present driving or parked.

2) Once I exit the "dead zone", and even throughout the whole turn, there is a "pop" that can often be heard/felt coming from the rack/steering shaft. When under the car, the noise of grinding/popping when cranking the steering wheel sounds like its coming from the rack.
Attachment 235555

3) Steering wheel wobble has now become steering wheel jerk (:jerkit:). The gentle pulling of the road on my hands has become a periodic tug in either direction.


etc)

I noticed movement in the joint of the steering shaft, where it connects at some plastic spot right near my BEGI downpipe:
Attachment 235556
The piece opens up about .5mm and closes in the middle of steering. Not sure if thats supposed to happen.


I also noticed exposed gears near the U-Joint of shaft. Is this normal?
Attachment 235557


I have read about an "adjustment" screw available on powersteering racks, but mine is manual so I seem to be missing out on what i've read fixes this issue. I would thing the wheel play is from tie-rod ends and the grinding is a gear issue, but anyone have input ? I'll be under her most of the day so I'll check back and post as I go. There isnt much on broken manual racks, so i'm hoping for a bushing broken somewhere lol.