Don't believe it when a supplier tells you a pressure plate is factory adjusted and you don't need to re-adjust it. I have had to re-adjusted any number of them.
You need to bolt it to a flywheel with the disc you are going to use to be able to tell if you got it right.
As far as the heavy spring pressure, that has to do with the springs they used.
I would send it back and get one from another supplier. You can also install the longer after-market release lever, but I don't think that will do much good.
http://www.santaanitaas.org/wp-conte...adjustment.pdf
Tom Endy