To take the cylinders out you could do it the way you said at the end of the post or put the hoses back on and raise the mast to the top then chain the mast to the stage that does not move and disconnect the snap rings at the top of the cylinders and lower the cylinders to the end of the stroke than remove the cylinders and take them apart in a vice just make sure it is chained correctly as if not it will drop be careful.