I'm leaning towards the problem being the steering shaft. If it's sloppy/wandering, lube isn't going to do anything for it.

 

I didn't say but I should have...
Spraying the u-joint to see if it helps was simply my way of finding out if it's the shaft or the rack

 

Guess I should update. I haven't done anything to it, still driving it occasionally and waiting for Spring to do the work. I decided that since it's 13 years old and Idk when the upper and lower ***** joints and tie rods have been done last, I'm going to replace all those along with the steering shaft. I can guarantee that the steering shaft is a factory part and seeing how many have had to change theirs, I may as well do the same, the part is only $50 on Amazon.

All this I'm doing in the hope I don't have to change the rack out. If after all that work the issue still remains, then I'll have no other option other than a new rack with inner tie rods factory installed.

 

...update