Firm feel steering improvement?

OP you need to check all moving parts--and non moving parts from top to bottom. This requires two people, one to wiggle the steering wheel back and forth, and the second to look for play. Be methodical and careful and look at EVERYTHING from the steering wheel to the tires. Look for unwanted movement, in the top shaft to the coupler, from the coupler to the shaft into the box, look for differing movement between steering shaft and pitman. Look for up/ down and side to side bearing play in the sector shaft, and so on, one step at a time.

Do you know the proper way to check ball joints? Read the shop manual.

Remember that steering play is ADDITIVE. a little bit here a little bit there. Gets worse at the tire

AND do not forget to look for (unwanted) movement between the K member and the steering box, in other words, loose mounting bolts!!!