It's not that I want ease of steering at low speeds, I don't want sloppy steering at any speed. I have researched the parts and the cost to go to a power steering setup, and from what I can see, it's pretty expensive.
Sloppy steering comes from the steering gear being worn out and doesn't really have anything to do with the steering ratio or whether the box is manual or power. Sloppy steering can also be the result of a worn out steering coupler, or tie rod ends, ball joints and other suspension components. So before you buy a new steering box of any kind you should check to make sure the play is in the steering box itself and not somewhere else.