Drag Link - Bell Crank Questions

I probably should have posted this on the Jeepster page but there isn't a lot of activity over there. I'm working on a 1967 Jeepster with the Ross Steering system. I purchased rebuild kits for the Drag ling and Bell Crank from 4x4 Parts Dude, the kits were Crown. I have some questions though.

Bell Crank:
The shop manual shows a ground washer between the Bellcrank Support and the Bellcrank. When I pulled it apart there was no washer there and there is none in the kit. I can get a machine washer to put in there but does anyone have any information on the approximate thickness of the washer or if one is actually needed?

Drag Link:
My drag link has on both ends has the spring and spacer at the end plug side. The shop manual states that at the front axle end the spring is supposed to be at the rod end not the plug end. When I pulled the draglink apart the are actually 4 separate seats, the kit I was sent has one of the seats ground into the end plug so this would put the spring at the rod end. But if you would try to install it that way on my drag link you cannot get the ball of the bell crank into the drag link. There is no room

Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.

 

Similar drag link questions have been discussed here several times recently. Try searching the archive.