Steering problems...

[Judhudson]

Ok let me get this off my chest - I can't steer worth nothing.  It's probably more of it being my fault instead of the car, but I need to ask these just to get them off my mind:

1.  I've got really big tires - bigger than what I am suppose to have (they'll be changed next month to appropriate tire size).  When I am still and I give it just a little gas to move, it's very hard to turn the wheel.  I assume this is normal, but do you think the reason why is because my tires are too big, or my power steering is weak?

2.  My belts squeal like crazy when I turn it while barely moving.  I'm sure I have to tighten the belt up a bit, but I was wondering does the pulley on the pump have to do anything with it?  I believe the standard pulley size for a big block is 4-9/16, but I have a pulley that is just 4 inches (bought one at Tractor Supply).  Is it better to have a small size pulley, or would it be easier if I changed to a bigger size - 6 inch?

[Chryco Psycho]

a bigger pulley on the steering pump will hurt the power  as it will slow it down
I would say it is more of a problem with the power steering than the tires , the Mopar steering is very powerful

[Charger_Fan]

a bigger pulley on the steering pump will hurt the power  as it will slow it down
I would say it is more of a problem with the power steering than the tires , the Mopar steering is very powerful

It could also be a worn out pump. If the pump isn't building enough pressure, it's not gonna put enough steering assist to the gearbox.

Another thing to check would be the steering linkage & ball joints. If the ball joints are dry & worn out, they can be harder to move with the weight of the car on them. If you haven't already given everything a good greasing, you might try that.