I posted this in the Tech forum but no one has responded so I thought I would try here. This should be simple but I cannot figure out why I have a gap in between the spacer and the fork on the front axle? The bike is a 2006 FXST and I just took the wheel off to change to a new tire and upon reassembly, according to the manual, I have this gap left and it will allow the wheel to move about a 3/8 in. What did I do and how do you fix this?

 

It could be one of two things. It's the wrong spacer if you can slide it back and forth on the axle, or the axle has a step on it pushing the spacer against the bearing. This is probably the case. Since the axle , spacer and bearings are all pulled to the nut side of the lower the wheel will not move and that space is meaningless. The lower is clamped to the axle near the spacer to unitize the whole thing on the other side. If you can't spin the spacer, you're golden.
Ron

 

Mines the same as yours, your OK.

 

Mine's the same too and I also wondered why there is this gap, but since the spacer does not move, I figured it was designed this way.

 

Thanks for the replies. I will tighten the clamp and see if the spacer moves, if not i'll leave it. I guess I never noticed the gap before I took the wheel off.

 

They all have some space in there. You don't want to spread the legs out and bind the bushings in the lowers. The space insures that won't happen.
Ron