peerless 6 spd wont go back together

ok i have just your average run of the mill peerless 6 spd that came off an old craftsman II, ?I took it apart and re greased everything, I got it all back together but the case wont close all the way down, mainly around the bull gear. To me it looks like the bull gear is setting on the bottom of the case, when i try to turn the spider gears and axles they spin freely, but try to spin the bull gear and the whole gear set it connects to lifts out of place like its bound up. now granted i didnt clean all of the old sticky black grease out and the thing set opened up in the garage for a couple months...so could it just need a massive cleaning? or do i have something else wrong? I noticed that when i put the case back together and it didnt quite close all the way it was hard to move the shifter fork and spinning the pulley only let me twist it so far before it stopped and then slightly sprung back into posistion as if i was stretching the chain drive inside.....any ideas? Ive watched fearless fronts videop on locking a transaxle and put it back together the same way, something is just not fitting right

Your spider gears are one tooth off. Where the axles go into the large gear, it has to be lined up perfect, one of the axles is off a tooth, and is high or low in the gear.

Yup. Gotta align your axles in right for it to go on.

Also check the bushings - most bushings have a little tab to locate them and keep them from spinning in the case - i took the trans in my 88 kleen kut apart - had to open and close it several times to get stuff lined up.

I had this issue when putting mine back together. As Stretch44875 said, the spider gear inside the side have to be lined up properly or one axle will either be at an angle which makes the crown gear be at a funny angle. It can be tricky i found to get it meshed properly but you'll get there.

I also agree with dangeroustoys56 about the bushing tabs. Make sure the tabs are the right way as that can stop the top casing from closing properly.