Just re-coated my front lower forks black - DIY with epoxy paint, lots of patience, and time.

....anyway....just checking myself here...

When I re-installed the fork axel cap, the rear bolt with the cast in spacer tightened all the way up so that the cap touched the fork arm. When I tightened the front bolt, I could not get the bolt to thread completely "in" so that the cap was pulled against the fork arm. There is a slight "gap" in the front of the fork cap between the fork slider and the cap. Looks like it's about less than 1/16th of an inch. I tightened the bolt as tight as it would go - even started stripping as I put the last pound of force on it. I used RED thread locker and everything is tight.

I went back and kept looking at the manual over and over again. When I looked at figure 2-9 it shows, and actually labels a "gap" between the front of the fork cap and the fork slider.

Am I good to go? Sure hope so because it's probably gonna take an easy-out to get the front cap bolt out at next tire change...but I'll leave that to HD.

 

Mine seems to be just the opposite. The rear (towards the engine) tightens nearly flush while the front one has a gap. I know on my Jap bikes, there is always a gap on the rear bolt.

 

That is how mine is...gap is at the front and the rear (towards engine) is flush.

Sorry if my post was confusing. Sounds like I'm ok...according to you and the manual figure 2-9