Shorten steering column

OK here's a question I've had for a long time...

I've read a bazillion times that going from a manual steering gear to a power steering gear that you need to "get a shorter steering column shaft" The shafts are actually 2 pieces that are held together with a couple of nylon pins. 1 section has a "male" end and the other piece has a "female" end so basically 1 slides into the other. Why not just slide the male end deeper into the female end? If you wanted to, drill 2 new holes and put new pins in? What am I missing here?