[Joe K]

You don't say how you tried to move the worm. BFH (Big ****** Hammer) is generally not recommended.

The problem with pressing on further is "holding" the shaft from slipping while you do the press part. A Big something clamp properly made might do it and one hopes one's press is tall enough.

One method I've heard of is to "thread" the interior of the steering shaft at the lower end. You wind allthread into this female thread and use a 1" pipe coupling and several large washers and a nut as a "puller" to pull the worm further up the shaft. The methodology does cut into the metal subject to press fit and thereby weaken the shaft, but you don't need to run the tap the full depth or length of worm, an inch will do it.

Others have used the press and put the steering shaft into it "full length." The problem with this is "folding" the shaft before the press is completed (Called Euler Column failure among engineers) One needs to "reinforce" the steering shaft against buckling while under compression in the press. A 1" pipe works pretty well. But you need the big press.

Hope this helps. Someone has done the allthread method and will likely know the size tap offhand.

Joe K