You don't have to pull the column to replace the steering link, you just unbolt it from the lower steering joint at the base of the column and unbolt it at the rack pull it out the fire wall into the engine compartment. The noise from what I could tell was from a combination of the slip joint and the rag joint. But most of the play was in the slip joint. If I was you I would slid your head under the dash and look at the slip joint very carefully while wiggling the steering wheel back and forth. Also is you have jack stands and such, slip under the care and have a buddy wiggle the wheel while you look at the rag joint. Sometimes with things like this, you can feel them more with your hand then you can see them eye.