PinkyToe:
You understand perfectly. The first cap is installed, with spider, and then over seated. This allows spider to be deeply seated in cap, preserving first cap's needle bearings, and extend maximum across to seat in second cap and preserve its bearings. And previous advice about extra grease in end cap before assembly to hold bearings is good.

 

So, taping the yoke loosened the joint enough. Pushed in the ball and then on to the last 2 caps. Get first clip in, and I cant move the last cap in far enough. Then I remembered the fallen needle symptoms...literally almost shed a tear.

I guess it happened cause the joint has to be at an angle to fit the caps.

Im very excited to redo the whole joint again

 

So its a good thing I had to redo it. I snapped a needle bearing in the centering ball during the first install...dont ask. I had saved some bearings from the old ball, and they were the same size, so I tossed it in. Seems fine.

Thanks everyone for your advice!