[Walt Fricke]

Yes - read up on this. I fear you have already made a mistake, since you say you disassembled them into halves. Unnecessary, complicates things as you have found out, and requires something the rebuild kits don't have - new little seals to go between the halves.

I suppose you can blow air into the passage between the halves for one side, and block off the threaded line in hole for the other side. All you need for air is a rubber tipped nozzle, if even that. But with them apart you can't just plop a piece of wood in between the halves to limit the excursion and so on. You have created a small air mortar.

Or use Wayne's version of internal pliers - that would be a good thing to have. Always something one can learn.

Walt Fricke