Hey Darkwave, that was KHE's intention to have clearance between the flanges and the fork. Thats why coupling it up with the tanakas, you can fit your entire hand between the spokes and fork while in the upside down positions of dumptrucks. It clearly states this in every written piece of info about the geishas and tanakas.
The washers/spacers give more room , thats all, its not faulty. With geishas, you need a cone spanner to hold the studs with one hand while loosening/tightening the nuts with the other hand. It seems tricky at first, but its easy once you get used to it.