I just got a pair of ball link pliers, they work just fine for extraction.
Pliers part number HMXR4858 .. search the net. I paid $16.99 .
Popping the link on is easy by hand, it's the extraction I wanted.

Great idea on the battery turned sideways.... I was thinking of doing that...
I only used 1 quarter in the nose to offset the tail.
You might try those pinch on ball fishing weights on the end of the arms of the crash ball
assembly... leverage being the factory here as opposed to five quarters.
And of course as mentioned the trim tabs on the TX.

Maybe strut mounted battery holder for even more forward placement CG
offset... which would also make the helicopter more stable with a total lower
center of CG. Somebody must have thought of doing this before, even if it
entails heightened (taller) skid landing equipment for the clearance.
IE a battery tray.

Grounded until my new motors arrive....