Steering wheel play
 

85 300D more than the inch or so that is known as "normal" at the steering wheel other than this play it feels tight and solid, I am thinking- steering shock and steering box adjustment - 220K on the colock, ball joints look great and so do the bushings, any other thoughts

First you have to make sure you wheel bearings are TO SPEC....
Then you should either use a dial indicator which has one of those ' max reading hold' or whatever it is called.... with that you can clamp it to things like your tie rods , get in the car and move the wheel... and then get back under and see how much play exists in that connection... the other way is to be under there with your hand over the joint and have someone else move the steering wheel just enough that it is affecting movement of the wheels... your hands are amazingly sensitive for things like this... Harder for big items like ball joints, etc...
Then IF you decide to take out some of the play in the box... be sure to read all the archives on this.. and the FSM also... to avoid potentially DANGEROUS situations...

Hello Ron, I'd probly do the shock first and change PS fluid & filter while I'm at it as I'm sure you already thought of. Adjusting the box aint difficult. They say will eat itself if adjusted too tight though. Also something I remember about steering shocks is they vary immensely, gotta shop manufacturers and nation of origin. The Mexico shock is crummy if memory serves me well.

Rubber bushings can soften up somewhat and you can't always tell this by looking at them. I would check everything else first and then adjust your steering box if necessary. If you can hear a clicking or clacking noise from the steering box, then it well could be out of adjustment.

I was told by my mechanic at a german auto repair shop that a clicking noise sounding like loose wheel bearings in the steering box means it is way out of adjustment.

I think you can tell if it is the steering box or not by having someone move the steering wheel back and forth from one end of the play to the other. If while rocking the wheel back and forth the arm on the steering box (Pitman arm I believe it is called) dose not move; the steering wheel play is reflecting the slop/looseness in the steering box and not slop or looseness somewhere else.
Where t adjust the box: page 3 of 5 pages
http://www.pauldrayton.com/uploadfiles/merc/Service/W123/w123CD2/Program/Chassis/46-480.pdf

as always, great info ,and thanks bunches

Be sure you're checkng steering box play AT CENTER. The box will have some play off-center.