Help!! Lower control arm bushings

[tdangle]

working on my 1970 3/4 ton. Removed the lower control arm shafts and bushings as there was some play. Can not get the new ones installed. Factory manual says to insert shaft into the LCA and thread the bushings in and torque. Bushings don't seem to want to start in the LCA. Since the torque specs for replacements is 125 foot pounds, I would think they should go in fairly easy. The video I watched showed them going in easy. I've compared to the old ones and they seem correct. Am I missing something??