rear axle spacers aka couplings

i have an 82 kz 750 h3. i took the bike apart over a year ago and am now getting it back together. everything is moving along slowly in a muddled, where's this part at in the box, kind of way. right now im trying to reinstall the rear wheel and have hit a snag. my rear wheel has two coupling/spacers that fit into either side of the wheel hub, left and right, and im assuming thats what keeps the rear axle covered up and clean and also keeps the wheel from shifting left and right when youre riding the bike. but for some reason, the couplings i have arent taking any space up, and a few inches of axle are left bare, giving the rear wheel freedom to move left or right. now i havent installed the chain yet as i dont have a chain press, nor have i put the rear caliper assembly back on. i figured id do this one step at a time, and the wheels are what i started to go at first. my coupling doesnt look exactly like the one in the factory manual i have, but theres nothing in the 82 supplement that says anything about it either, and i know for a fact they started changing things not only on the ltd (the front axle is different than the standard model) but in 82 as well. ive scoured my boxes and these two couplings are the only ones i can find, and they fit into their holes properly. i rode the bike before i ripped it all apart, so i know at one time it worked, i know this set up worked! do i need to tighten up the nut on the axle to squeeze the swingarm shut over the axle or what?

Have you put the rear caliper mounting bracket on the axle ? That takes up a lot of space . Do you have the spacer installed that goes between the sprocket carrier and the wheel ? . DON'T use your axle nut to squeeze the swing arm .

what he saidB)

wait wait wait, theres an arm that the rear caliper mounts to. it doesnt go on the axle itself....

im wrong
thanks!

good deal, now my bike has two wheels. now, to put the motor back in.