A while ago someone asked how to get their steering shaft to go "back up" so the bushes (later 122 style, two pins with two bushes that look like upper a-arm bushes) would fully engage both shafts.

At the time I had a similar but not as drastic issue with my 122s but no solution as I couldn't get the upper shaft to move either.

Well... as fate would have it, my steering wheel ended up 1/4 turn "off" and that just wouldn't do! In the process of removing the wheel, fixing the horn wire (don't they ALL need that?) and reinstalling the wheel (and after a moment of panic because the cancelling sleeve appeared to not want to move to the new location) the darn shaft went "bonk" and fell out!

OHMYGOD!! Oh, well, not so bad after all. A spring and set of thrust washers between the housing and shaft keep things tidy and relatively rattle-free (not fully explored). The spring forced the shaft out of the housing when the old grease and grime let go as I was attempting to force the wheel back over the splines on the shaft.

Vice-grips to the rescue. The shaft was forced back up in place from the engine compartment and held there with the vice-grips while the steering wheel was replaced.

BONUS! the "mis-alignment" at the joint is now gone!!!!

I'm so happy I could split... maybe I can start it soon?

--
Mike!