I have been hearing some popping in my steering recently and I was thinking it was just from a bad drag link or center link or steering box. Yesterday I got someone to listen and feel around to see where it is coming from and it sounds like it is where the steering linkage goes into the firewall. It isn't the joint near the engine and it isn't near the driver seat. Is there a part right where it goes into the firewall that could be bad? Any ideas?

 

Tilt wheel or no? Could be the bearing at the base of the steering column. If you grab the bottom of the steering shaft where it connects to the u-joint is there a lot of slop? Might be easier to just slap in new column in it and change the lock cylinder versus tearing into your old one.

 

If there is a bearing at the firewall it would make sense. The joint is fine. We checked from both sides and the sound it definitely coming from exactly where the shaft goes into the firewall.

 

And no tilt wheel