Makita 5104 modification

I purchased a 5104 about 2 years ago and it's some of the best money I've ever spent. I love the thing. However, for all of the improvements over the old model it still has one issue: clogging. That silly chute inside the shroud is way too small and if the timber has any moisture content whatsoever it clogs in about 5 seconds, especially during rips or tenon drop cuts. I very badly want to cut the bottom of the chute out but I have reservations about cutting parts off of a $400 saw. But if the chute is removed and opened up it should be like any other saw right? Anyone else dealing with this?

I've got this saw and this problem. I only find it happens when I'm creating long string like material. I keep a flexible stick handy just to push the material back out when I see that it has stopped streaming back out.