Closed my brothers pool today and had this same problem with the handrails and ladder. We got the handrails out ok but the ladder bit the big one. Got one side loose but the other side would not budge at all. While he was applying pressure with his foot he twisted the tubing badly and we ended up sawing it off and after a few more hours we got the piece out of the cup. Question: what would you think all the cement colored sandy grit was that we dug out of all six of the cups? This is evidently what got them all stuck. The tubing all looked fine inside and out. He has a swg but if something was corroding we sure couldn't tell by looking at the tubing. Think some sort of grease put on there upon reinstallation might help this? This pool is 3 years old so they had been out several times before.
Thanks
Mike