8 1/4 with 3.55 trac-loc.
with car off the ground and in neutral the wheels rotate smoothly about 3/4 of revolution then tighten up alot for the last 1/4 turn. both sides equally tight. no noise or grinding just gets very tight.
havent pulled cover yet.
have been losing fluid at tailshaft of 727 when driving it.. doesnt seem to drip when parked...not sure were its pushing out from..has new bushing and seal from recent rebuild seems to be alot of side movement of yoke/output.
could these issues be related??

Why don’t you pull the prop shaft and see.

Related I doubt it. How does it turn with the drums off?

That was my 1st thought as well, how does it turn with the drums off?
The 8 1/4 in my Dakota had a tight spot, one of the brand new drums was warped! Had to turn it .080 (the max it could be cut) to get it smooth. Once the drum was turned, the rear end turned freely.

As for the trans rear seal, a work yoke will cause a leak on a new seal, as would a worn rear bushing in the trans. It could also be as easy as a defective seal to start with. Pull the shaft and look for a "dip" on the yoke where the seal runs, and inspect the seal for a cut. Try a different yoke to see if the up and down movement is gone.

If it gets tight each revolution of the tires at the same spot, it's related to the wheels, axles or diff. Pinion, prop shaft and trans turns 3.5 times for every turn of the tires. Get the drums off and see if it goes away, If not, it's in the rear. Pull the cover and take a look.