Passenger side birfield won't go all the way in (1 Viewer)

[Spook50]

Putting my passenger side steering knuckle back together, popped the birf back into the axle housing and it absolutely will NOT go all the way in. It sits with the bell of the birf protruding about three quarters of an inch outside of the knuckle. The machined section of the inner shaft won't even rest inside the oil seal like it's supposed to. It feels like it's engaged solidly into the splines in the diff (clunks when it bottoms out and won't turn, making it feel like everything's good), but it's obviously not and nothing I'm doing is getting it to go in any farther. Anyone else had this issue before? Short of pulling apart the whole 3rd member, I'm stumped.

I don't remember having any problems getting it reinstalled the last time I did my knuckles either.

 

[Output Shaft]

1. Try putting the transfer in neutral
2. Rotate the front drive shaft a bit to rotate the front differential to change the alignment of the splines
   
3. Try again?

 

[OGBeno]

Flat spots on birfs need to be at 12pm and 6pm for it to go in.

 

[Spook50]

Flat spots on birfs need to be at 12pm and 6pm for it to go in.

Aye, that part I remembered. I'll give the driveshaft a turn next time I go out there. Hopefully it's just something simple like that because this is annoying.

 

[gregnash]

When I did my passenger side I finally got mine in by getting it most of the way there then sticking my foot against the driveline and slowly rotating it. Didnt take more than maybe 1/4 turn before she dropped in.

 

[Tapage]

try not to put much pressure over the oil seal while fighting with it ..

 

[Spook50]

Giving the driveshaft a turn got it.

Ya ever feel like a jackass for overlooking one of the simpler details when you start troubleshooting?

 

[hj 60]

Also next time may try to press with thump and pull with other, somehow lifts it a bit and inserts fine then, gravity is pulling it down so wont slide in: