Fuel pump replacement issue

[gw33gp]

This weekend I replaced the fuel pump in my 2002 FX4. I used the 'lift the bed' approach. Everything went well until I tried to disconnect the fuel lines from the fuel pump. It has the push the button type disconnects like the ones on the fuel filter. No matter what I did, I could not get them to release. With fuel filter disconnects I can just use my thumb to press the button in. That did not work for the fuel pump. I also tried various wenches and even made a metal piece to match the contour and width of the button to have better contact with no success.

Since the fuel pump was bad and getting tossed, I ended up cutting the tubes off of the fuel pump near flush with the top of the fuel pump to leave enough tube exposed to pull the tube out of the disconnect. Then, I could get inside to push back the locking mechanism with a screwdriver and pull out the cut off tube. I don't think I had ever replaced the fuel pump over the 311K miles I have driven it and dirt must have gotten packed in there to keep it from releasing. As I already stated, the fuel filter never gave me a problem, but they got replaced periodically.

I mostly posted this to point out a way to get it apart if anyone else ever has this issue.