steering column help please

[audaciousduo]

Hello all,

I need some insight before I completely snap my crayons. I've had to walk away a few time from this issue. I bought a manual steering column from a wreckers I don't buy from anymore because its all been garbage so far. Anyways I put in a new hazard switch, turn signal cam and painted it up. The bearing on the bottom slides forward every time I take up the slack when I install it leaving the top end flopping around like a pile of tin cans. I pull it out tap the bearing back up put it in place and it all happens again and again and again like &^%&^ ground hog day. Is there a retaining clip that was missing off this stellar wrecker product or am I doing something wrong? The I'm referring to is the bearing at the very bottom of the shaft near the splines that go into the coupler. If I ever get this to work I'll put the new wheel on.

Thanks in advance

Eye twitching and very frustrated.