I am replacing my steering column:

After aligning the steering shaft spline to the coupler then installing all the electrical switches back up and tightening the new column down on on the 4 mounting nuts, the shaft spline does not appear to fit all the way into the U-joint coupling where the steering coupler bolt needs to go. The 4 mounting nuts have been torqued down to factory specs however it appears that the shaft doesn't fit and I can't figure out why. Is it possible that the intermediate shaft recesses back towards the steering linkage through the firewall if its been sitting unattached for a day or two? I'm not sure what to do here, any suggestions? I believe that spline needs to plug all the way into the coupler u-joint before installing the coupler bolt (so I shouldn't be able to see any of the splines)? I tried to "wrestle them together" but the intermediate shaft will not budge. I'm guessing that it recessed back through the firewall and will maybe need to jack the front wheels of the jeep off the ground to give the shaft more play so I can wrestle them together? Right now the steering column is mounted and torqued down on the 4 mounting nuts, so there is no more play for it to go back towards the coupler...it's gotta be that intermediate shaft?