Before I light it on fire, any suggestions on getting this girl to slide the rest of the way in?

​I'm installing it solo but I got it up there, a half an inch away from kissing the transfer case and it just won't jostle the rest of the way. Is it just truly needing more muscle power to slide on?

Couldn't find any resources of someone with the same struggle.

 

At the risk of insulting your intelligence....it is clocked properly, yes? Are you hitting an alignment dowel?

IIRC on our '02 2500 the dowel was stupid tight even when properly aligned.

Are you properly clocked but the dowel is fighting you? I'd see zero harm in pulling the case back off and opening up the dowel hole with a drill bit or sanding drum

 

Is it the same t-case that came off to begin with?

 

You don't give lot of information, truck/model/unit, original/replacement. If you are swapping in a used or replacement unit, be aware that there are two different length input shafts. May be your trouble.
There is a wrecking yard in Nanaimo, with light truck parts, talked to them before, don't remember the name. Also, TorqueKing in Billings, Montana is a good bunch, pretty friendly. There is enough information on their website to help you sort out an interchange. Either might be able to help if you have the tag number off of your original unit. Even though the are physically very much the same, these cases don't all swap directly. Jeep/Dodge/Chev etc.
If it had alignment dowels, which the 231 I'm guessing you have does not, you'd have to be some kind of shortsighted/dumb to remove them, they exist for a reason. Prevent runout in shaft alignment. Therefore vibration and bearing wear.
Don't know what your situation is, but if you get desperate, I have a late '98, 5210 6022, short shaft, 23 spline. Could ship by truck from PrinceGeorge.