Removing centre sleeve from driven pulley on runner

Just changed the clutch springs on my 2 180 runners. Thought i'd give the driven pulleys a clean and grease while their apart. Only problem is I can't get the centre sleeve off which is required to separate the 2 halves. The Haynes manual just says to lift it off. Yeah right. Both of mine are pretty well stuck on. I tried to lever it up with a screwdriver and a mallet but didn't help. Anyone got any suggestions on how to get this off?

 

A gentle prising with a couple of screwdrivers,one each side usually does the trick!

 

Thanks but I tried that. I tried soaking overnight with wd40 at top and bottom, tried heating a bit. Both are frozen solid. If I ever get them off perhaps I should lube the inside of them before replacing.

 

I eventually got the centre sleeve off them off by hammering a screwdriver at the base of the centre sleeve. Driven pulley has a few scars but don't think it will affect operation.

Both sleeves were well and truly rusted on around the base.

Wondering if I should grease around the base and inside of them before replacing them which would hopefully stop them rusting up again. This may cause them to twist with the contra I guess - wondering if that would affect operation at all.

Also one of my clutches has a roller bearing at the back of the pulley (rolling nut engine) and haynes manual doesn't mention anything about greasing this up. I was thinking about putting hi-temp red lithium bearing grease on this. The Haynes manual specifies molebdynem disulfide grease (which I don't have at the moment) for the pins and sliding surface between the two halves. I was reading that these greases tend to contain 1-2% of molebdynem disulfide and i'm wondering whether it is really that important or whether the red lithium bearing grease would do. The grease that is currently on both of mine are a fairly runny looking black type.

Any advice would be appreciated.

 

Any grease is better than no grease, just put plenty all over the 3 pegs and a smidge on the centre bearing.