With the car on jack stands I can spin the steering wheel easily from side to side with little to no noise.

I do however notice that as I turn the wheel there is a spot each time the wheel come around that seems a little heavy. Could this be the sign or a worn spot on the pinion or is it just the universal joint that I’m feeling?

How can I tell if the rack & Pinon are in good shape.

Thanks in advance

Do you feel the 'heavy' spot three times when turning from lock-to-lock? Or more than that? Do they seem evenly spaced? Every turn? Every half-turn?

I will need to check when I get home to be sure but I do believe that it is three spots equally spaced going from end to end.

I want to say that when the wheels are centered on the car that’s the heavy spot and when each rotation of the steering wheel pass that spot you feel that difference as you go past.

It seems like it happens in about 6 spots. Looking at the rack it seems there is a drain on the bottom if I open that would I be able to see the gear to inspect?

Maybe it's nothing but the U-joint that I feel.

It's unlikely to be in the rack then. If the rack itself got damaged or worn, you would only feel it at one point, where the damage occurred. If the pinion was damaged, you would feel it each time it went around, but that's only 3.2 times from lock to lock. The U-Joint, because of it's symmetrical design, is the only piece I can think of that would produce a 'heavy feeling' more than 3 times.

McMark, Thank you for the help and the sanity check much appreciated.