Intriguing question.
I took a look at a steering column, and pulled the parts from the lower bearing to see what limits the column shaft travel rearward. In a nutshell, it is the snap ring just aft of the lower splines.
It bottoms at the lower bearing when the spring is fully compressed.

The upper bearing is identical to the lower but without the plastic collar. The chamfer just forward of the steering wheel splines limits the wheel's ability to draw the shaft rearward. The spring might make it feel like you can keep sucking it through the column, but, no it won't do that. The shaft cannot enter the splined part of the wheel.
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Art Benstein near Baltimore
I went to buy some camouflage trousers the other day but I couldn't find any.
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