When I drive my jeep, the steering wheel has about six inches of play, or from 11 o'clock to one o'clock. Is this normal for old jeeps, or is there something I can do to fix it?

 

No it's not. Should be nice and tight. The freeplay could be coming from a number of locations. I would suggest applying a vice grip pliers to the steering box input shaft ...tie or wedge the vise grips to the frame so it won't move ...then wiggle your steering wheel. That will tell you how much play is between the steering wheel and the steering box.

Then investigate other areas of freeplay like the tie rod ends, drag link, etc. Could also be the steering box.

 

Any of your steering joints could be the source. So have someone saw the steering wheel back and forth while you look at all the pivot points. Anything loose needs to be fixed. Then remove your efan and look down on the steering box. Saw the steering wheel back and forth. If the pitman arm does not immediately move when the sector shaft is rotated, then the steering box needs to be adjusted

 

Or rebuilt.

 

Avoid Cardone rebuilt - absolute garbage.

 

 

went down the steering box rabbit hole a few years go with mine... turns out nearly all remans are complete and udder crap.
If I knew then what I know now... I would've taken my tired OEM one out...and properly rebuilt it.
After dealing with a few in remans in a row that were worse than my at the time 20 year old original one was.... I researched, forked over the cash and got a RedHead box.
It's been holding up pretty good the past few years.
Those remans are so garbage... when I went to a parts store... I opened the box on the counter in the store...and fluid was leaking out of every seal still in the bag..

 

Pre 199..something..... the steering shaft has a leather/rubber coupling just below the master cyl give or take. After 1996ish that became a metallic joint. You need 2 people but follow the steering shaft out of the firewall to the "u joint" crank the wheel back and forth ...see how much play between the upper shaft and lower shaft. Sadly i think the only repair is homemade or replace shaft with a post 96... my 2001 has less than 1/16 play...maybe an 1/8