New Holland 275, help needed

Howdy all,

  My name is Carl and I am new to not only this forum but to hay baling. Quick back round, I have been a auto mechanic and fabricator for the last 20 years, I was given two horses for my daughters and have 10 acres of grass hay I am cutting to feed them. I bought a NH 275 that I was told is out of time. I followed the instructions in the service manual and believe It is in time as I can rotate by hand with no needles installed and it appears all is well and the crankshaft shear pin plate moves out of the way at the correct time. The issue I am having is when I install the needles and run through the cycle, the needles bind into the knotter heads and I mean bind hard. the tip of the needle is supposed to be 1/8' clear of the [round plate]? and my needles are hitting it so hard I can not puch it through the cycle without feeling like I am going to break the needles so i stop and back it up then I have to re-time it again. The needle adjustment with the 4 bolts on the carriage is fully adjusted, I am thinking the carriage is bent but I do not see anything obvious and cant talk myself into how it bent. Is there something I am missing? can I remove the carriage and bent it so the needles will clear, that seems to me not a good idea? thanks for any help. Carl

New Holland 275, help needed