Steering column spline
 

I have a C3 Steering column and the spline and shaft has slid all the way up into the column with about an inch and a half sticking out of the lower end. I can’t get the shaft to extend down into the steering box area. It will move up but not down. Any solutions?

Sounds like your column has collapse a bit. I don't know the solution but I'm sure someone will come along soon with one. Welcome to the Forum Captain! Would be helpful to know year of car and whether it has standard or tilt/telescopic steering and whether it is OEM. Meanwhile, a guy named Jim Shea is a member here and an expert on steering issues. And you can read more here: http://jimshea.corvettefaq.com/

Good Day

There was a thread covering this issue recently...

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...a-special.html

I had a similar problem while replacing thr rag joint. I used a dead-blow hammer to force the splined shaft into the column in order to replace the r/j. I could not re-extend the splined shaft to engage the new rag joint. The lower bear had seized on the corroded splined shaft and would not allow the shaft to be extended. I disassembled the entire column/sanded-cleaned-polished the outer and inner shafts/replace the lower bearing and applied a light coat of grease to all internal metal parts.

The splined shaft extended easily into the rag joint coupling with the tap of a plastic-tipped hammer after the cleaning.

Steering shaft