One step you might take is to look underneath at the four torsion bars that support the rear shell (there are four more for the front shell). Torsion bars look like long round black steel rods, perhaps 3/4 inch in diameter. One end of each bar is embedded in the rectangular white lift bar that pivots up as the shell is raised. (There are four white lift bars on each shell, of course.) Once under the TM, the bar makes a right angle bend, then extends across the entire width of the underside of the TM. At the far end, there is another right angle bend, the short stub is catured in a small cage with a big bolt, and probably held in place with a stainless steel hose clamp.
Inspect all four bars. Make sure that none is broken, and that all four are properly terminated and captured on both ends. If one bar has a problem, it would make it very hard to raise the shell, and it would be crooked as you describe. The fact that it opens too far suggests another problem. Because it is hard to open, perhaps when it does open it has been allowed to slam against the stops at the end of travel, and damaged the stops.
Checking the torision bars is quick and easy, so start there.
Bill
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