if it slides in and out nice and smooth its ok. if it binds up on the way in the bolt threads are holding it up, then the bolt has to come out, being you ripped the shaft apart the threads my be sheared off or smashed out of the way or it will catch the shaft on the way in. hard to tell till you try.
idk where your at with the install of everything. but bolt the rack back into the sub frame. then jack your frame back up and bolt the front up leaving the jack in the back 1/2 . then line up the two shaft ends and jack the frame up. would be the easy way to get it back together.
with your steering wheel dead straight, the bolt on the shaft part still on the rack needs to face the driver side wheel well.
having a friend wiggle the steering wheel left and right will help get the shafts back together. do not spin the steering wheel round and round like a kid on a ride. or you'll be doing a 200 dollar clock spring next.
