[dsraven]

if you use the steering wheel as a hand grip to pull yourself upinto the cab I would go with a non tilt column, if aftermarket, because a lot of the aftermarket tilt mechanisms are not meant to have strain like that and they will likely fail.
the gm columns would loosen up the bolts holding that area tight but a lot of the time some loctite and a retorque is all it needs for some more life. I have done a few of those over the years and after watching the owner enter the truck I could see how it happened. a retrorque and a handle placed somewhere so you stop using the wheel as an entry aide may save you some cashola. it doesn't cost you anything to take it apart and see what you have. take pics as you go. you can fix the internal wiring short at the same time, maybe no new parts needed, just some wiring repair and shrink tube. use a wire to pull the old harness out of the column and then it can be used to pull the wires back in again.