somewhat unrelated, but my help...
you should really never hold the steering wheel in the locked position. it relives alot of power steering pump pressure if you back off 1/8 of a turn, and it wont affect your turning radius. i've seen people who not only hold the wheel locked, but try to push it 'further' because they think it will tighten their circle... ouch.

back on track, the first thing i would check out is the new suspension setup. good luck maya --