Manual Steering questions........

[MBE]

I am the new owner of a 2015 Classic Roadster Cobra.
As I am getting to know this car I have questions about the steering.

The car has manual steering with an IDIDIT steering column and rack and pinion steering box. With the car stopped on the ground it is very hard to turn the wheels. when moving on the road it is better but it wanders side to side a little bit. The steering column has 3 u-joints in it, which is typical for these cars. When turning to the right there is a very noticeable binding in the column about every half turn or so. It is not as noticeable when turning back to the left but the bind is there. With the car on jack stands and the front wheels in the air it does turn easier, but not as easy as I think that it should and I can still feel the binding and then the release of the bind. I did take the friction pad out of the rack but I do not feel that it made any difference in releasing any drag on the column.

I also have about an inch of movement at the steering wheel without any movement on the exit end of the shaft. It appears that there is a disconnect (slop) within the tilt mechanism.

Has anyone experienced these same symptoms? Or do they all feel like the u-joints are binding up? The u-joints and spindles are greased and everything is free moving except for the binding. I am working on the hard steering when standing still, and the wandering could be due to the slop in the tilt part of the steering column. I am new to Club Cobra, this is my first post.
Thanks for your help.