I have a firm feel steering box, and switched from the mopar steering connector to a U joint from flaming river trying to tighten up the steering, now with the U-joint there seems to be play in the movement of the steering column in up and down directions. Already cut the steering rod so no going back - are there any plates that can be added to the firewall to stiffen up any play? thanks

If the steering shaft is moving up and down in the housing, the issue is probably a worn lower bushing in the column itself. If the column housing is moving on the firewall, there is probably a problem with the firewall mounting bracket. if that is the case, you will need to determine what is allowing the movement, either the bottom of the column has an issue, or the bracket that bolts to the firewall has an issue.

The U joints are not causing a bind in the shaft rotation are they? If the angle between the two shafts are too much, the U joint can't handle more that a 30 degree angle change. If the angle is more then 30 degrees (or close to it) you may need to add a second U joint with a shaft brace. Gene

Thanks for writing me back, I think the firewall bracket was never meant to do much - That is where I think the movement in the system is coming from

Not all columns have a lower bearing. My 73 did not. The steering shaft just floats inside the housing. Does yours have a bearing?

If the shaft is moving in and out, the seal between the two halves of the shaft is broken. The shaft is designed to collapse in an accident. The factory melted some type of plastic into the joint which locked the two halves in place. In an accident, the plastic will break and the shaft will collapse. Over the years that plastic can break down and the steering shaft can move in and out. On my Dart, I drilled all the way through both shafts and installed some lexan "pins" to hold the shaft tight.
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If you don't have a lower bearing, you can add one. The factory correct bearings are expensive. You can add an inexpensive ER16 bearing. Here is an article on it.
https://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopa...er-column-bearing-better-and-cheaper.66/

The factory steering coupler accounts for some body flex. The end of the steering shaft is free to move a little and would just slide up and down inside the coupler. Since you've replaced that with a U-joint, that built-in movement for body flex is gone. When the body flexes, something has to move. Since the coupler can't, the steering shaft moves.

Only 68-69 B bodies and 74 E bodies had lower steering column bearings.Think by 69 someone realized it was a mistake and the mistake had to be relearned in 74.

The column has a bearing under the steering wheel and the other end is anchored at the box by the coupler. A bearing in the middle wouldn't really do/solve anything. In fact it'd become a bind and just wear out with body flex. The factory bearings in 68-69 were actually a loose fit with about 1/16" between the bearing and the shaft. The ID of the lower bearing had an O-ring groove machined into it and there was an o-ring between it and the column. The reproduction ones dont have this and probably introduce a new "rattle". I was selling some of the reproduction bearings until 1) I realized they didn't have the o-ring (I found and purchased NOS 68 and the 69 style bearings - they are different, one plastic one aluminum) and 2) people had NO IDEA what they were buying with one guy complaining the fit wasnt TIGHT and wanted to return a dirty, used $80 part [FACE PALM]. That was IT. I returned my inventory to the manufacturer.

In my own Challenger all the "movement" appears to come from the mount on the K frame. THAT needs to be boxed.

Reproduction bearing ID top, no o-ring. NOS bottom, with o-ring.

If the steering g shaft housing is moving up and down, check the four bolts o the firewall mounting plate. Those have extra large holes so that you have plenty of play when lining up the steering wheel. If you are getting a lot of flex out the steering column shaft connection to the gearbox, you might want to look at the Firm Feel steering sector support. It bolts to the k member a d keeps the nose of the gear box from shifting and flexing. They’re super easy to install and help with handling, tightening up the steering.