Steering Prob.

i have a prob with my steering, i have about 1/4 turn (of the steering wheel) play turning to the left, it seems just fine turning to the right, i just noticed it today comeing home from work, can someone please give advice to what might be wrong and how to get it fixed?...with all the mountans and turns it was scaring the crap out of me...any help appreciated.

on a flat road, when the wheel is straight, it goes straight as an arrow and the play is like i said, 1/4-1/2 a turn to the left...

yeah i went to a shop and it was the rag joint, today was a FUN day, dont worry about friday the 13th its sat. the 14th you have to worry about, i took the stang to the shop, had them put tires on there, found out that the rag joint was almost ripped in half, so i borrowed the macanics truck (hes my cuz's b/f) went tords a mustang parts store, couldnt find it, stoped at a store and asked if anyone knew where it was, found out where it was, went to the truck and it wouldnt start...15 min later i finally got it started, drove to the parts store, got the part, went out and the truck wouldnt start, cept trying and the battery died...so i go into the parts store and get ready to ask for a jump or something, and turn around and my dad walks up (huray for dad) so we get back to the shop, give the guy the part (no charge on the replacement just the part, $16) so he changes the part out and tells me my steering colume needs replaced, i need a new upper controle arm, and something else like swaybar bushings. (oh yeah i also lost my gas cap thismorning, before all this other stuff) so i go to auto zone and try to get a gas cap....go to pay..."oh crap wheres the credit card"....gave it to my mom(who is about 15 miles away (back from where i came from)so i go back, and find out that the starter died on that truck, so i get the card and go BACK to auto zone, get the cap, and put it on, the rubber puts a nice tight seal on the tank but the top of the cap is about 1/4 of an inch away from the body........what a day...i also missed work becuse of all the running around (or should i say breaking down)