w123 loose steering

[Ya Mar]

Hello all,

The steering on my w123 is frustratingly loose. I'd say around 2inchs of play. I've tightened the nut on the steering box and this makes the steering tighter, but doesn't reduce the play. It seems to only make the steering more sensitive on either side of the "empty zone of play".

Going straight on the highway at 70mph I feel like I've weaving in my lane because on either side of the play it steers too much.

It's really frustrating me.

Any ideas of what I'm looking at? Is this an issue of needing a rebuilt steering box? Is it just the nature of w123's to have loose steering?