Looking at your pics ..if you wound out the clutch pushrod as it shows...it doesn't always go back in...be mindful of that reinstalling...that said, I think the manual was assuming the pressure from the plates would be enough to free the cover on its own... however triple bond has a tenacious grip and will probably require a bit of prying...there should be a series of tangs along the case where you could position a lever of sorts to pry...gently... patiently...with an occasional rap from a rubber mallet...it should free up.
A top the pressure plate is a T that is captured by the clutch part sticking out of the case...it will release naturally as the case is separated...however if the T part is not longer seated or snug in position in the pressure plate, once you release it, the only way to reseat it is disassembly...keep that well in mind when replacing a clutch cable...simple procedure quickly becomes an afternoon projectThey're pretty solid honestly , interchangeable segments for reduced cost if you have to repair them. scraped the peg in the canyons perhaps the durability kept me up . all bolt are off thoe i was just wondering about the clutch pin and how it interlocks to the pressure plate if removing or detaching is necessary to get the cover off