by Randy » Sat Dec 09, 2017 6:48 am
Charles is dead on about the possibility of one or more of the posts being bent. If they aren't look for fine burrs within the holes on the opposite plate. It's possible that others have forced the two plates together in the past, causing burrs to raise up. If you suspect this, you might consider very carefully burnishing the holes, and then try again to fit them together.
Either way, when you get to the point of reassembly, you'll want to coax the plates back together slowly while watching under magnification,... to avoid damaging the pivots.
Randy