chad...try this, It may help you from all the swapping of springs and stuff.
take your pump out, remove the cover and gears. find a 6 or 12 point socket that will fit loosely in the tube bore of the pump housing but will also seat over the tube of the pickup. Using a C-clamp with the stationary end over the socket, carefully press-out the pickup tube from the body.
1973 SD455 T/A
1979 S.E. T/A
http://community.webshots.com/album/16587603rOyvmFCiHs