just wondering what the easiest way to remove the bearing caps in the front rotors in a EL XR?

Either multigrips or a flat head screw driver. Be careful not to collapse the cap with the multigrips and with the flathead screw driver stick it in the base where it meets and turn the screw driver, prying the cap off ( if you know what I mean).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdfHQGudUUw