Well, for any of you out there following this real time steering column nightmare, the score is as follows:
Sawzall-1 Plastic Lower Shroud-0
Turns out I was right about the progressive looseness. At the very base of the tilt steering wheel mount and at the very top of the stamped steel tube that makes up that part of the column that goes under the dash are 4 bolts, they either are a medium to fine thread metric or a 1/4-28 with a Torx T40 head on them. Not a female socket like you're used to seeing, but driving head on the fastener that looks like a torx driver bit. Big washer flange under the head. No lockwasher, star washer or chemical locking prep appears to have ever been present. The nut on this nightmare is a stamped steel Ninja Throwing Star looking thing that I can't even fish out to chase the threads SAE. The steering rod goes right through the middle of it.
I know it's been in there for 20 years. It still shouldn't have come loose. For crying out loud, it's retaining the business end of THE WHOLE steering mechanism.
I assure you, the 2" Allen cap screws I replace them with are going to have some 5 Minute Epoxy on them. I figure (I really think the hardware is metric) between the slight pitch misalignment between the SAE and Metric threads and the epoxy, this truck will go to the shredder with these bolts still at torque.
Done right, like it should have been done in the first place...
Stevie Sawzall
PS For the mechanically squeemish, I'd recommend a steering column replacement, I'm not enjoying this...