its a combination of the steering post bearings being loose on their races allowing movment along multiple axis and slop in the ballcups. i might try some different ballcups but ill have to deal with it for now. i might get into the team magic ballcups, or xray. those fit absolutely perfectly and there is no slop, but still smooth.
bearings though... lots of wiggle in them and how they are pressed in.
ps, some orings on the ballcups seem to help a lot too.