Thank you, I will probably take the entire assembly the the bench and that is great advice. They all look easy until we remember they aren't.
Your success in removing the pinion might depend on how tightly the double-race ball bearing is gripped by the housing. Mine was a semi-tight fit, so it didn't take much effort than some gentle tapping with a hammer to move it. Just be on the lookout for shims as that will set the backlash.
The rear bearing on the pinion is a flat roller bearing, so the inner race will slide in and out of it with ease.
