Raise the piston to the top of the cylinder before you remove the backing plate. Then after removing the backing plate, lower the piston back down. There are a few different methods for removing the sleeve. You can try rotating the piston and this may raise the sleeve enough to remove it. If it doesn't I lower the piston down and then put a zip tie in through the exhaust. Then I raise the piston up and that will normally raise the sleeve out of the case enough for you to remove it. Remove the sleeve, then take the conrod off the crankpin.