71 steering shaft help

I made a shaft without flexible coupling going from firewall to steering rack, as in pic. In the one pic you can just barely see the oblong hole for the steering lock. In the other pic you can see most of the hole. The spring was taken out in the pic where you can see most of the lock hole. To make the hole appear with the spring in, you have to push really hard on the shaft at the steering wheel. Can I leave that spring out if I don't want a steering lock ? I need the splines to engage a little farther in also. I will be able to do that without the spring. I will try it without the spring. I don't know if you need that spring for some reason. Thank you very much. Also I have push button start.