Jerry;

Steering column passes through a hole in the firewall where it should not touch the firewall, but the foam "seal" (held in place by that wire clip) which surrounds it to keep out noise and engine compartment warm air...that foam (if still in place...typically oxidized into dust long ago) hardly has enough body to it to cause any noticeable resistance or "roughness"...I suggest you look again...maybe that foam was replaced with something which has more "body" and is able to exert friction on the shaft...

Good Hunting!