Cliff -
1. Cut the surrounding plate. Mine wasn't making contact but I relieved it anyway just to make sure.
2. When you really want to fix the problem switch to a good gear lube. The engineers at Redline recommended mixing 75w-140NS and 75w-90NS and I did so - the first gear grinding is significantly reduced. In fact, I have not experienced it since doing the switch. I would advise you to go equal parts 75w-90NS and 75w-140NS. There have been so many threads on this it brings me to the brink of tears to even think about it, but you might want to do a search.