I'm helping my nephew rebuild a 76 CB550 F. With the help of Jim French's micro welding the carbs are going back together. I have run into a problem assembling the slide linkage. I can not get all the spacers and parts to fit the available space.
These photos should help illustrate the problem.

There is not enough clearance to install the spacer on the left into the carb and onto the shaft.

A photo of the parts as assembled on the right side of the shaft.
I can't be the first to run into this problem. What am I missing?