JD x700 mulch gate problems

[Stephen_Byers]

Hi guys -- I have the HC60 mower deck on a JD x729 (year 2019) that came with the hydraulic mulch control kit installed. My gate has not been shutting completely and also I occasionally hear the mower blade strike the gate. As you can guess, there's enough gap that it's not very effective at keeping the clippings from blowing out. I can tell the gate sags a bit. That whole mulch control kit is quite a complicated design, so it's hard for me to tell what the real problem is and if there is a bent part, like maybe the rod that goes down through the deck that holds the gate. Just took the deck off and removed the gate and notice the lower hole is not circular.

I wonder if that lower hole is supposed to allow adjustment to the bolt to help prevent the problem I'm seeing in order to keep the gate up and vertical. Has anyone else had similar issues and which parts what the culprit?