On my 2008 Tioga 31M. with a Ford v-10, there is absolutely zero play in the steering wheel, standing still or while moving. When I move the steering wheel in either direction, I immediately have a positive feeling, meaning that I am immediately engaging the movement of the front wheels, without any perceptible slack in the movement of the steering wheel before engagement. There is no time or space lag. My Tioga now has over 110,000 miles. For the OP to have a unit with just 12,000 miles and that much play, well, it just is not normal. Also, for a mechanic to refuse, or to downplay, or neglect to at least address that issue, well, it is not acceptable.
