My Cutlass drives straight as an arrow, and stops in a straight line. But there is a lot of play in the steering wheel. You can move it inches either way before anything happens. It is my understanding that a nut and allen (maybe) on the top of the steering gear can be adjusted. The Service Manual says don't do it without removing the whole gear from the car.

I replaced the original steering gear with a rebuilt gear for a Jeep. It definitely improved the steering and quickened it up. But can the slop be adjusted out

 

You might want to check the “center link” for the play

 

That adjustment will take a little play out of steering, however the play you describe is more likely in the center link, tie rod ends, and idler arm.

 

Turing that allen screw on a power steering box will not take out the play. There's a reason why the factory manual tells you that you have to remove the box and adjust the nut on the end.

As others have noted, be sure everything else in the steering linkage is in good shape. Slop in any part of the linkage (center link, idler arm, etc) can cause this. These parts are easy to check.

If the slop IS in the box, chances are it needs a complete rebuild after half a century.

 

I will check the center link, tie rod ends and idler arm as suggested. The sterering gear was a rebuilt unit...but that's not to say it was a "properly" rebuilt unit. Thanks for the input.

 

Check the rag joint in the steering shaft also. The rubber can deteriorate, especially if oil has gotten on it.

 

A good way to observe suspension looseness is to park the car on a rough asphalt surface. Have one person move the steering wheel from left to right while the other person looks at the suspension joints from underneath, any play will be quite obvious. Take all safety precautions of course, car in park, emergency brake on.