[Boog]

I have ran across numerous old threads regarding heavy steering issues on the 88 and up pickups. Some stated their truck drove that way from new. It's way different than the preceding 73-87 trucks steered. Most thought it was a faulty steering sector and some replaced theirs with the Red Top or AGR brands. A couple mention replacing the pump. Some never posted the solution, if they found one, to their truck's steering issue.
My 97 2wd pkup and 97 4wd Suburban both had that speed sensitive steering assist or something like that. It had a switch in the pump and a sensor around the column inside the truck. They were problematic and the part on the column would fail making the steering intermittently twitchy while driving around curves. For a millisecond it felt like the steering wheel was no longer attached to the steering linkage. It was unnerving when it acted up. Makes a fella's heart speed up a bit! It would boost the steering assist while you were in a turn for a split second. I replaced a couple of them and I unplugged one and drove it for months without the sensor assist and it drove just fine.
Anyway those 97 models were easy to drive with a balanced feel. I don't know how many years GM used that sss assist system but most of us don't miss it.