fuel filler grommet

well unfortunately the grommet got lost in freight and showed up after the weekend so we made the show, the car didn't, oh well, anyway we went to install it last night, we did a test fit, it slides over the pipe, it fits in the tank and it looks exactly the the same but we can not get the filler pipe to slide in, it seems the angle is wrong from the pipe to the tank, what is the proper procedure?, we tried dropping the tank a couple inches by loosening the straps, we tried putting the grommet on the pipe then sliding in the tank after, nothing works, I know its a tight fit but I don't want to destroy the grommet, it seems the problem is the tank needs to go further forward but it cant due to the top lip of the tank hitting the shock, I was thinking of removing the left shock to push the tank far enough to get the grommet on then re-installing the tank straps and shock, what do you think? I have another project today so will get back to this forum later today or tonight for some responses and then hopefully back to the tank tomorrow, thanks