So, after the ice race last weekend, my steering started acting goofy. at first I thought it was just the pump, which I had suspected to be going out for awhile. then I noticed that the steering doesn't center itself while moving

 

anyway, after talking to my dad for awhile, he reminded me that we used the crossmember and steering rack from my '85, and that one of the tie rod boots was torn (and had been since I bought the '85, years ago).

 

so now it's sticking, feels like there are about 4 spots in the full range that it sticks, anything between those spots works fine, power steering at all, but once you get to them, it takes both hands to overpower it.

 

any short-term fixes that I could try without replacing the rack (kinda low on $$, and a good work space)? greasing something, etc.?

Have you taken the tie rod ends off of the steering knuckles and checked to see if the binding is, in fact, in the rack itself? It may be something at one of the wheels, or even something in the steering column causing your problem. Sometimes the U-joints in the steering column can go bad, and it causes it to have very hard spots to move through..