`91 V8 steering problem

[DICK MEYER <RSM@arlvax.arl.psu.edu>]

Anybody ever hear of a steering damper going bad & binding up intermittently?
That would explain my problem wherein occasionally when I'm driving at low
speeds (e.g. turning into a parking space), and I'm turning the wheel to
the right (right only), it gets very difficult to turn.  When I then back
off the wheel a little (to the left) and try again, it's OK.  There's also
a mechanical "clunk" when the steering loosens up again.  

The reason I suspect the damper is that turning in the right-hand direction
serves to compress the damper--where it would be most likely to bind.  I
guess the alternative is the rack itself--a big $$ item in the Servotronic
cars.

I think I'll take the damper off & run without it for a few days.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Dick Meyer
Applied Research Laboratory
Penn State University
State College, PA
1991 V8 Quattro 5-speed
1970 Mercedes Benz Unimog U900
dick-meyer@psu.edu