New T3 Steering Rack

So in 0.2 degrees of rotational change, you're seeing about .001 in longitudinal change. I'm with you in that's nearly zero play. But...

That is unloaded, right? nothing to compress the spring(s) in the tie rod ends? Nothing to smoosh the grease out of the rack and pinion gears? I don't think you'll see much, but you might see a little more than that if you would lock the rotation and push/pull the the rack back and forth with the rotation lever frozen.

Just thinking out loud for theory's sake.