Ball Joints / '89 S-10 Blazer

So I replaced the ball joints on the driver's side of my blazer the other day and I noticed the knuckle was very tight, I couldn't even turn it with my hands to reattach the tie-rod. When I got it back on the road the steering stayed tight. When I make a turn I usually let the wheel slip through my hands to let the truck straighten out, but it just turning. Today, after about 30 miles, it is a lot better, but not to a level that I would call acceptable. Has anyone else had a problem with tight steering after installing new ball joints? Both of them are greased and so is the tie-rod that I removed.

Thanks, John

P.S. On a side note the top ball joint still had rivets so it was the first time they had been replaced on this truck.