super stiff steering

The alignment may not have changed, but if you had a ton of positive caster with power, - without power steering, - that can make the wheel reaaaal heavy.
The more caster, the more you are lifting one side of the car, or the other.
For little o!d ladies, I set caster to +1*- 1.5*., making it easy to steer.
Reg drivers 2* - 2.5* reg feel.
For spirited carvers 3.5* + caster, = great directional stability, - the steering heavy, - strg wheel really tries to return to center.
So, the question of your alignment specs has a lot to do with how heavy your steering is .