I’m dealing with quite a bit of play between my steering column and hub. I can turn my steering wheel about 1/2 inch before my wheel bites. It’s awkward on straights and corners as the wheel is not reactive to every input due to the dead zone in the steering. My bolts through the hub are on tight. What can be done to fill the space so I get tight steering that is immediately reactive to my inputs? I was thinking of wrapping tape or a bicycle tube around the column to fill out the space between the hub and the column and allow for more direct steering. Has anyone run into this issue?
It sounds like you either have mismatched parts or damaged parts. Is the hole(s) where the bolt(s) from the hub goes through the steering column oblong?
No their both circular. Most likely mismatched parts.
or worn. The hole through the steering shaft sometimes wears more than the steering boss causing the issue you describe.
so what should someone do in this case (the whole is more worn). Replace the entire steering shaft?
If you are competing I would. If not I would weld up the holes and redrill it. Unfortunately we have never had a column last long enough to fail that way.