Weird squeaky steering

[andy625]

I have an 87 Firebird which has been feeling a bit vauge on the steering for the last couple of months. The last week I have noticed a squeaky sound that seems to be coming from the steering when I pull up next to another car or wall for the sound to bounce off of.

I had a check under the car and all the joints seem to be ok except the main shaft coming through the firewall from the steering wheel into the engine bay. The 12" or so section leading up to the rubber joint near the steering box seems to have a lot of up and down play in it when I grab hold of it and pull it up towards the hood and press down towards the road.

I think the noise I can hear is either the joint nearest the firewall or the actual rubber disc joint which also seems to have play in it so that when the wheel is turned without the engine running, the section of the joint connected to the steering wheel side of the joint moves independent of the part connected to the steering box. ie you can see the metal parts of the joint getting closer as the wheel is turned.

Are these joints prone to wear on teh F-body, and do they normally make a squeaky rattly noise when they are worn?