With the front end in the air and shaking the wheels L and R I get some play in the steering column all the way to the steering wheel that I had attributed to a bad lower coupler/U joint. Now that I've removed the coupler and inspected it it appears to be fine, no more loose than the brand new replacement one I just bought. But when jostling the steering shaft there's that same play between there and the steering wheel, where I can pull and push and there's some rocking going on. Is this normal or should that linkage all be tight and smooth? I've never taken apart this part of a car before so I'm unsure what to expect. The distances between upper U joint and steering shaft are perhaps at the very lower limit of specification (10mm where up to 19mm is allowed but 15mm is spec).

Reason why I started this project is because the steering wheel shakes and rattles at 60-65 mph. I've replaced the ball joints, struts, and strut mounts. The rattling brings to mind that there's some play in there.

Just want to know what that connection is supposed to feel like with the rack disconnected from the shaft. Do these components become loose or am I barking up the wrong tree?

Thanks so much