Caliper reassembly: boots and collars... HELP!

 Bike is an '85 VF500, but these calipers were used on many models and are similar to other makes, as well.
 I had to pull what Honda calls the "collar" because they were rusty and gummed up. They didn't move like they should. It's the barrel shaped piece in the pic. 
 I canNOT get this thing back together. The caliper and grooves are clean, the collar is lubed with brake assembly grease, the collars are brand new OEM Honda. I can get the boots in the grooves in the caliper, but they stick up just enough to snag on the collar and roll under. OR...I can get them on the collar and then I can't get them past the caliper body and into the inner groove. 
 
 Tips or tricks?

[image: HELP_zpsoeapglm9.jpg]

 This is a "before" pic. It's supposed to look like this. There's a groove inside the caliper and a groove on the collar. There are corresponding ridges inside the rubber boot.

[image: 17264767_10208968054464678_1557023975769]

Aaaand....about five minutes after posting this I found a Youtube video of a guy doing a Kawasaki caliper. LOTS more grease, some dull pick tools and the extra hands of my GF and we got it! One down, two to go!

Good deal.

If you have a 1/4" drive socket the same diameter - push the 'barrel' and socket in from each side and push the socket out with the 'barrel'

excess grease will be extruded out during assembly - you can't put too much in for assembly.