84 cab on 77 4wd - steering linkage problem

[77gmc]

I am placing an 84 cab on a 77 SWB 4x4.   The steering wheel shaft linkage is different.  It appears the 84 steering column shaft needs to be about an inch shorter...it does not appear to telescope.    It has plastic shear pins and I assume those shouldn't be messed with.  The connection to the 77 cab is a splined shaft, the 84 cab has a pinned connection.

What is the easiest way to deal with this?

[Blazin]

Use the entire 84 column. Swap it at the rag joint.

[77gmc]

Thanks... but the shaft is still too long.  Does the 77 steering box sit closer to the cab?  I press the U-joint together all the way, and it will not slip into place or get it over the pins on the rag joint.  Too long by about a 3/4" 

I think I could loosen the steering column, push it into the cab a bit and slide it in but there would likely me no sliding action left in the U joint.
 

[77gmc]

There is some adjustment in the column.   I did loosen the firewall clamp around the lower steering column and bracket under the dash...pushed the column up and it slid together using the 84 shaft and column.

[Blazin]

Cool that you got it.
I have always connected the column befor ethe cab is tight to the frame. Not sure why, just happend to do it that way the first one I did, and still do.