i vote for 2. i do this to avoid ball bindup, which i hear is worse than the heartbreak of psoriasis. correct spacing is also important, as well as correct position. you should avoid getting your balls in a bind, and keep them well lubricated.
that said.
messing with a steering box without a good service manual is potential suicide. remember tolerances are crutial, and should you make a mistake, failure of the box could cause a horrendous accident.
please take your time, avoid experiments, and wait until one of these guys come up with the correct number of "bearings" and installation procedure. as i remember there are torque values which i would follow to the letter. there are also clearance issues that if not respected, will cause unexpected failure of the worm gear.
the old engineers were pretty smart, and in the case of something as critical as a steering box, their wisdom ought to be respected. if not, you could lose yer balls.
