Alan there's two ways - either use a pair of narrow nosed pliers to prevent the lower shaft from retracting, or simply pull it out, and once fitted, push the column down onto it. Martin Alan Hammond wrote: > Hi all, > > just a few questions :o) > > after fitting the new steering bush on MXI, I am now ready to refit the steering column, but I just wondered how you stop the whole thing collapsing when feeding it through the bush. I am out of ideas !! ( thanks go to Martin gutkowski for the bush)