Power steering.

My 1978 Dodge van has power steering.Last week, coming back home from
the food store store, suddenly, I had to really strong arm muscle the
steering wheel.I sort of know how power steering works.Engine pulley
belt drive to the power steering pump and flexible hoses to the steering
gear box.

When the power steering belt broke, in hindsight now, I should have
drove on to an auto parts store and bought a new belt.I didn't want to
drive my van without the power steering working.This morning my sister
took to me to an O'Reilly's auto parts store so I could buy a new power
steering belt.(Gates belt, about $14.00 including state sales tax.The
store had another belt for about $4.00 with a one year guarantee, I
bought the Gates belt) Could it have resulted in any damage to the power
steering unit/parts in my van if I continued to drive long enough
without a power steering belt?
cuhulin