"You have to trust me a bit - not my first rodeo."

Well aware of that. Anyone who has done a 240 V8 conversion has been Volvo-baptized. I speak with respect and do not condescend. I understand you are here not just to ask for help but most often to offer it, and I have read most of your posts over many years.

"Other thoughts welcomed."

OK, here is how I think you are being deceived. The spring at either end of the shaft serves to keep the bearings loaded and center the shaft longitudinally within the column. When you changed the distance between the rack and the column, you measured with the wheel not installed and no preload. This was obvious to me by your surprise when the loose wheel fell off.

The wheel joins the shaft with absolutely no monkey-room for nut placement. Your recollection of how many threads protrude must be in question if you think you can put it anywhere other than sucked right up to the chamfer. Anything else would be unsafe.

The later columns are at least different in how the lock works, but I'd have to research part numbers to prep you for a junkyard adventure. I don't believe replacing the column will help you. I believe re-measuring the make-up you need between lower column splines and rack pinion splines will work once both springs are in place, the wheel nut tightened against the chamfer, and the preload centered in the column's length.

Edit: Oh, I see you got this before I finished typing it. :)


--
Art Benstein near Baltimore

A woman has twins and gives them up for adoption. One of them goes to a family in Egypt and is named "Ahmal." The other goes to a family in Spain; they name him "Juan." Years later, Juan sends a picture of himself to his birth mother. Upon receiving the picture, she tells her husband that she wishes she also had a picture of Ahmal. Her husband responds, "They're twins! If you've seen Juan, you've seen Ahmal."