EDIT: I found that with some force I can pop the pivots off the bridges with a screwdriver - they're just quite stuck. Still curious whether I should (A) Bend the bridges back in shape myself or (B) Buy new bridges.

I just removed my 18-year-old rocker arm assemblies from my cylinder head and found that the initial torque needed to break each cap screw (on the rocker arm assembly) from the head instantly bent the bridges connecting each pair of rocker arms so they were no longer lined up directly with the valve springs.

I understand that I can bend the bridges back into shape but would prefer to purchase new bridges. The service manual diagram makes it look like the pivots should just drop off the bridge once the bolt is removed but mine seem seriously stuck to the bridges.

How does one remove the pivots (3) and place them on new bridges (2)? Or would I be better off just purchasing an entire new set of rocker arms, bridges and pivots at this point?