But, in the context in which you have presented, tight is good! The cam built into the take down lever interacts with the caming surface, or curve on the front of the side plate leg, and this alone, is what keeps the sideplate tight... The cam pushes the rear edge of the side plate back, tight, into the corresponding frame slot .. By design, nothing else holds the sideplate tight.... Keep using your plastic leverage tools, it will be loose soon enough! ....
.. best to you, til...lat'r....GT