Go to a good front end guy and have him check it for worn parts and proper alignment. The hard steer after sitting is a new complaint to me, never had that one told me. Could be tires buuuuut don't think so.
Do you have grease worms? Maybe they ate all the grease up in the tie rod ends? Huuuuuum!!??

I didn't do it, no one saw me do it, you can't prove anything! "Bart Simpson"