the timing chain I have is very tight and I'm having a lot of problems trying to get it off, I've never had this issue before, can someone reccomend a way to get the timing chain worked off the gears?

 

You have to remove the chain with the gears.

 

you can't pull the crank gear without the chain off though, the cam gear bolts are out, I can get the cam gear to rock a little but I can't get it any where near far enough forward to pull off the dowel pin in the cam.

 

With the cam gear bolts out and the dowel pin around the 3 or 9 o'clock position, you should be able to swing the cam gear downward on the dowel pin to give you slack.