little help please

I am reinstalling the steering column in my 1968 Barracuda. Automatic trans with floor shifter, regular column no tilt and I see that the shoes in the steering coupler are riding right at the end of the coupler, actually sticking out 1/4 of an inch from the end, making it impossible to get the cap on it. Nothing has changed from when it was disassembled and the column is all the way in and bolted properly from the inside and on the firewall. I am not sure where those shoes are suppose to ride inside that coupler? It is almost like the column shrunk about an inch? I didn't disassemble the column at all, just took it out and now putting it back in?
Any experience on this would be appreciated.
Thanks