I don't have that kind of lathe, so I'm no expert. One thing I might suggest is to find or machine a shaft whose outside diameter is close to the spindle bore - tapered to match if necessary . Mount the shaft in the chuck jaws, so that it sticks out the back of the chuck a couple of inches. This should assist in getting the chuck centered, as well as helping support the weight, when you're aligning the studs on the back of the chuck with the backplate holes. Alternatively, you could put the shaft into the spindle bore and slide the chuck over it. Can't think of anything else useful. The chuck mounting method is not the simplest in the world, is it?