When i replaced the fill line in the 250 Sportsman, i unhooked it from the tank then used a piece of 1 1/2" OD pipe to join it to the new one with screws. Then i pulled the old one out from the fill side and it pulled the new one behind it.
It does run through some foam, but should wiggle free. Your problem sounds familiar, and I hope for the simplest fix for you... but you may need a new tank. I'm in the process of ordering a custom tank now, and it ain't gonna be cheap.