[dmjlambert]

Here is the way it went on my 1969 truck.
I installed the lower part of the rag joint on the steering gear splined shaft and aligned the groove in the input shaft so the rag joint's clamp bolt would fit, and tightened that clamp bolt.
I fit the steering column in the truck but did not clamp it down at the firewall or under the dash. I had an assistant push on the steering wheel to keep it fully seated against the top bearing while I pushed up on the intermediate column (with less force than my assistant was using), until I got the spring compressed to 1/2 inch, then I tightened the clamp bolt. After I let go and my assistant let go of the steering wheel, the 1/2 inch gap for the spring should still be there at 1/2 inch. That was bearing preload. I then positioned the whole steering column to bring the 2 halves of the rag joint together and installed the nuts that hold the rag joint together and tightened those. Then I tightened the firewall bracket and finally the under dash bracket to hold the steering column.