water pump seal question

trying to get my stator cover back on and when i went to put the spring on the water pump seal back in there is a small steel ring i am not sure where it goes! does anyone know how it goes back together?from the outside in...does it go impeller, seal, spring, steel ring....or impeller,seal, steel ring,and then spring? i know that is not very clear..let me try again...does the seal face sit directly on the spring or does it sit in the little steel ring that would go in the spring? thanks