steering binds

[loc8tor]

After putting a few tanks of gas in the 81 and driving the wheels off of it, lol......we have developed a steering bind on right turns especially, but also when turning left. it gets really tight then breaks loose, and there is also a screeching noise coming form the steering wheel area. I pulled the wheel and saw the horn contacts look a little chewed up. I intend on pulling the "dog bone" steering shaft out and seeing if the joints are tight in any particular area. Just wanted to see if anyone has come acrossed this before...Thanks, oh, and does anyone happen to have an extra shaft they dont need just in case I need to replace this.....

[So Cal Mark]

check the steering dampner on the right side. It's probably leaked all of the oil out and is about to seize

[brunorahl]

Steering idlers and steering gear boxes are your trouble points. You can check by taking off one end of your center link. Turn the wheels separately from each other. The gear box is not very likely. That's the one your steering column goes directly to. The small one on the passenger side is your steering idler. They are a poor design and fail every decade or so. You'll need to press off the idler arm from the idler it's self and find if it's splined or not. There is a change based on the production year, but you never know if it was changed before from a junk yard part.

[loc8tor]

Thanks, you guys are a wealth of information! Jacked it up today and SHAAZAM! Sure enough when turned all the way to the right It was very very hard to move at the right wheel, I could hear it grinding as it broke loose. I responded to a post for a used idler here on the boards so hope to get a response soon.

[brunorahl]

You can get one new. Uses ball bearings. Nice and smooth.

[loc8tor]

looks like I need a steering box, now it sticks from that side......