Steering column lower bearing

That bearing may bind. you would have 3 bearings in line on your steering shaft: Upper, your middle and the steering gear bearing. IIRC the A-body shaft sort of wobbles in the tube lock to lock as the coupler is not a U-joint, hence the pliable (?) construction of the OEM. You may be able to get away with it but thats what I noticed when I made a straight shaft to my offset steering gear.