So I made a right and turn but kept going right... Popped hood and saw that the steering shaft pulled off of the steering box. I recall tightening the steering nut behing the steering wheel a wile back, is it possible I over did it because now the shaft isn't long enough to slide all the way onto the splines on the box. Thanks in advance... hope to go back to school and fix it tomorrow since I had to abandon it for work.

Depending on the year there is about an inch of depth adjustment where the column bolts to the cowl behind the dash. Are you saying you didn't have a bolt & lock nut on the lower shaft where it attaches to the spline at the box?

There was some sort of allen like set screw and a nut around it, but I couldn't get the steering shaft to streach close enough to the box to get the universal on the box to re set the screw... almost like my shaft shrunk and pulled off the box which is why I wondered if tightening the large nut under the steering wheel a while back pulled the shaft away from the box?

Gotcha, sounds like an aftermarket lower shaft. If the column is worn or has a missing or broken internal lock sleeve then I could see how tightening up the steering wheel nut could shorten the upper shaft. I'd take out the whole system and see what's up. If you find out that it's safe and functional yet too short the bracket on the column can be relocated so the splines fully engage.

got it back together but think i'm gonna do a Wildhorses shaft once my brakes are sorted out.

Get rid of the rag joint if you can. I did a similar conversion a while back.

So what do you use instead of the rag joint?

expensive but reliable

http://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Cu ... ring_Shaft

Yes, nearly exactly what Rox is suggesting, but I went with BC's setup.

Ordering the "custom" shaft from Jim... Figure that way If I decide I need body lift I'll have some adjustment room and until then... I'll have some adjustment room.