a position control apparatus for an adjustable motor vehicle steering column including a friction clamp , a control shaft rotatable between locked and unlocked positions , a hollow rectangular frame moveable relative to the control shaft when the steering column is adjusted , a first toothed pawl a second toothed pawl , and an elastic bushing resiliently supporting the first and second toothed pawls on the control shaft inside of the rectangular frame . when the control shaft is rotated to its locked position the friction clamp frictionally captures the adjusted position of the steering column . the pawls have gear sectors thereon which are relatively angularly offset by one - half tooth pitch . when the control shaft is rotated to its locked position , the one - half tooth pitch offset assures that at least one of the gear sectors will mesh with a rack gear on the rectangular frame even if the other engages the rack gear peak - to - peak . each pawl further includes a lug which cooperates with a plain edge of the rectangular frame in immobilizing the pawl when the gear sector thereon is meshed with the rack gear so that the meshed tooth couple between the gear sector and the rack gear reinforces the friction clamp .