Try our re-instated info resource - "Aladdin's Cave" (Main menu)- sorry it's taken so long to fix
Prize the edge of the rubber bush up a bit and get some WD40 in there using the thin nozzle extension between the bush and the mounting. You will probably have to do it in a few places to allow the WD40 to penetrate. They are not mechanically fixed, the rubber bush is just very tight.
The rubber on the new shocks actually look ok to me, the stud it fits on goes much bigger after the thread part so it could well fit when the old shock is removed.
Have you tried removing the lower bolt and then just moving the shock front to back whilst pulling at the same time, usually works.