This is bad.

If you can turn the drive shaft easy with one or the other axle in it then your axles are butting against something! Bolt them both in and leave the nuts on the axle flanges a little bit loose and see if the drive shaft turns easy? If so the axles are butting against the thrust button or something.
Is the thrust button(s) visible when axles are out? I thought that's what would be between the axles and is easily seen when axles are out.