Ah, there it is, the change in your tune. So now you've seen lower column bearings huh? Of course, easier to admit that than admit you're wrong. So now you have to say it's not safe, lol.
Yes, most of the later columns had a slip on seal. I never said they didn't. My point was always that some cars came with lower bearings. And in fact, most the cars that came with lower bearings were in fact heavier duty cars. Like, I dunno, 66-70 B bodies like I showed earlier. Why did they get left off of most of the A-bodies? Because the factory was CHEAP, and A-bodies were the economy model. The factory did a lot of stuff different for A-bodies, are you going to argue that the 5x4" pattern was better or stronger? What about 9" brakes, and all the other things the factory cheaped out on for the A-bodies?
Most of the changes that came after '70 were for cost savings. Big blocks went away for the A-bodies. 8 3/4 axles went away too. Were those improvements? No, they were not. But by your reasoning everything the factory did was right, so, I guess A-bodies shouldn't have big blocks?
I also don't know why you think the fact that the picture I showed is for a column shifted manual somehow makes your point. It doesn't, it makes mine. They had a lower bearing and they worked just fine. So did a lot of the column shift auto's, or at least a nylon bushing that supported the lower end of the steering shaft better than the cheap seal used on other cars.
As for your other claims, the set screw on an ER16 bearing will not keep the column from collapsing as intended. The factory used more robust screws to hold the lower bearings in place on the cars that used lower bearings. Heck, the addition of the column shift tube itself makes the whole column and jacket more robust, yet the factory still used a collapsable shaft on those cars. The ER16 bearing itself will slide further into the column jacket with an impact too. It's not unsafe. And if you really want to get into it, my car uses a section of collapsable shaft below that ER16 bearing, because it isn't stock.
Useless? Again, not at all true. The lower seal on the later cars allows the steering shaft to move around in the column jacket. There's no reason for it to do this, and in moving around like that it puts more stress on the upper bearing and allows for additional play between the steering wheel and the steering box. Adding the lower bearing controls that movement, and creates more a more accurate steering response. How do I know? Well, I've done it that's how. It's better.
So what have we got so far on your claims?
- Lower bearings were in fact used on unibody Mopars and heavier duty applications, as I've shown and you now admit
- A simple set screw will not keep the steering shaft from collapsing. This is not hard to grasp
- The steering is not improved by the steering shaft having play inside the column jacket. It's only purpose is to spin, adding the lower bearing guarantees that's all it does
As always, you don't have to do this modification. I did it on my Duster and my other cars. It is an improvement, it is not unsafe. I just documented what I did, I wasn't even the one that made it a how-to article.