Here's the easy answer - the faster ratio box will require 20% more torque turning the steering wheel.

What affects ease of steering?
Wide tires
Worn tires, because tread blocks are shorter and stiffer
Non-stock wheels, because they put the center of the contact patch farther away from the imaginary line going through each ball joint. This distance is a lever arm.

Until recently I drove my '64Dog daily. It had 31-10.50/15 tires on the front and a 7" wheel replacing the 16 x 5" stock rims. It was a bear to turn the steering wheel before it started rolling.

Your new setup should work fine and will be a little easier to drive on Interstates.
No steering box allows a dead spot in the center of travel. One time I tracked down the sloppiness to a worn out system to the idler arm. Turn the steering wheel and the arm moved up and down.

R.