ER-16 bearing doesn't fit on steering shaft

Got it all back together. Doesn't feel like it's binding anywhere, although it takes so much force to turn the steering wheel sitting still (16:1) it'd be hard to tell in the garage ;)

Today I learned: the snap ring on the outside of the bearing doesn't fit through the two-bolt seal plate on the firewall. Removed the ring, put the plate and seal on. I also learned: the snap ring doesn't quite fit through the firewall hole either! Removed it again, slid the column through the hole, then had a lot of fun getting the snap ring seated again beneath the master cylinder... I suppose I could omit it, since the set screws on the inner race keep the bearing located anyway.