Hard to Steer!!!!

My nephew's 99 Tacoma is hard to steer and wonders all over the road. It has a 6" body lift and 35" tires, which I understand doesn't help, however, it takes the same amount of effort to turn the wheel regardless of if the engine is running or not. Sounds like a bad pump, but, with the engine running the pump is quiet until you reach the turnning stops. Then you hear the pump pumping normally, just like on any car when it is turned to the stops. There is also a good bit of play on both sides of the rack arms. Is it possible the rack is bad, or the pump is bad??? Opinions please......................

 

Check tire pressure...
Then check tie rods, do they fell loose or have play in them.
Ball joints
wheel bearings
Lastly bad steering rack, since the pump isn't making noise and steering is hard to steer probably the rack.

 

What other symptoms would a bad rack produce???

 

flacid

 

Having just acquired an 03 Tacoma, and with my last car being a Honda Element, the Element's steering feels like a race car compared to the Taco.

Question: To what degree is this steering performance normal? I don't know if I have a back rack but if I'm driving down the highway, I can for the most part let the car steer itself with just minor corrections.. A bad steering rack will show much different symptoms right?