Mine is the 60 sized version as well!

Try to move everything including the kitchen sink inside the fuse to the farthest forward position you can. My servos are mounted in the sub former one atop the other right next to the fuel tank and on either side of it. My battery (a big heavy one) is mounted front left in the cowl. With this set up I needed no lead for balance even though I shortened the cowl to be scale accurate and added some thickness (with micro balloons) to the fuse between the canopy and vertical fin as this area is far too skinny to be scale.

As far as the gear goes. Mine work very well. Your best friend here will be to use a really powerful light (to see things clearly) and patience to study the retracts, connecting wire and servo itself for any areas of slop servo stall, unnecessary connecting wire bending and full actuation and travel of the plunger in the retract itself. Get all that right and they will work well, every time.

Good luck to you!