Well, zip sent my manual out ground, but as they told me "no problem because we charged you ground rate." I have a copy of the original order, states next day air. Oh well at least I didn't pay for the mistake.

ok, I crawled under there and found the problem, the rod was unseated from the dimmer/bright switch. It is a little white spring loaded circle with a seat for the rod. I seated it and it works. You can change the switch without taking the column apart. Problem #2 I couldn't get the column to stop telescoping when I wanted to put the lockplate back in place. Then I noticed that ken styler had posted something in the past about a bolt in the center of the column. When you screw a bolt into the very center of the column it presses a little key out sideways and applies force to the wall inside the column. This locks it in place as tightly as the bolt is. If you cut a proper sized bolt (must match the star-ish shaped bolt's threads and length) so that there is no head, you can tighten this into the center with a vice grip or pliers (not too much force) and then slip the lockplate tool over the stub. The column is now locked, and the tool should work. If it pulls out, the bolt in the center is not tight enough. The tool just allows you to depress the lock plate and the spring underneath and slip the c-clip back in, or take the clip back out. I did not dissasemble the lower portion of the column. If I can help anyone let me know. I'm no expert, but It is fresh in my mind.