[HO455]

[quote=71CHEVYSHORTBED402;7753128]Sorry, but I meant to ask the purpose for adjusting the lower bushing. Or really, what is the goal? I imagine snug to the top and bottom, but thought to ask anyway.

That and what's 1:18 through 1:22 all about in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_pRKhF3f4U[/quote

Sorry it took so long to get back to you life seems to keep getting in the way lately. So I'm going to try to help here but I don't have any kind of manual on this. I just took mine apart to find the problem and put it back together about a year ago. So just going on memory here. And it's not a low milage memory either. I took some photos of my column which is an earlier version than yours as it doesn't have the pot joint.
I believe that the lowest set of bolts adjusts the amount of space/play in the shifter arm when you pull it. See photo 1. (Blue line for direction of adjustment. Green points to the base of the shfter arm your adjusting the play on. Please forgive my crude pointers) The shift detent system is pretty crude and needs some way to be adjusted for proper clearance. Which decided to I set at about 1/8" between the detent and the arm at the detents highest spot. ( Photo 2 Green arrow to detent. Blue arrow to shifter linkage.). Photo 2 doesn't show the clearance, but between the two pieces is where I set the clearance.
Prior to adjusting that the lowest clamp, which holds the spring, must be tightened down while maintaining spring in a compressed state. I tried several times to get it so it felt right. The spring and clamp force the shaft bearing races together and prevent the wheel from moving up and down. (Photo 3 Green is the clamp, Red is the spring, Blue is the lower bearing) I believe it is spring loaded to compensate for themal expansion and ease of assembly. Looking at the photos of your column it looks as if your lower bearing has failed and has dropped down over the spring. It should look more like photo 3.
The second set of bolts and clamp is to holds the detent arm to the colunm. (Photo 4). I don't remember if the holes are slotted to allow the detent to be adjusted to match the gear indicator.
Photo 5 gratuitous picture of my Burban on its first time out of the paint shop for a photo op.
Hope this helps and doesn't cause too much confusion.