Berni Armstrong (asker) May 13, 2011:

I'm fudging this one :-) One of the photos accompanying the document clearly shows a bolt that has shiny metal under the head and is also shiny along the first third of the shaft of the bolt, before reaching the thread. This must be the "adjustment distance" mentioned. However, I have left the phrase out and simply described what the photo shows. The main thing is that if the metal is shiny here then it is proof that it was rubbing on something before the bolts in question broke.

liz askew May 12, 2011:

these are only suggestions, as this is not my field, so don't take my actual contribution too seriously. Where are the engineers?

liz askew May 12, 2011:

I am only suggesting various things, really this is not my area at all:)

liz askew May 12, 2011:

Also: Ajuste
ajuste. NM. accommodation. N. ajuste. NM. agreement. N. ajuste. NM. composition. N. ajuste. NM. engagement. N. ajuste. NM. fit. N. ajuste. NM. fitting ...
www.tomisimo.org/dictionary/spanish_english/ajuste - Cached

liz askew May 12, 2011:

Also: Ajuste
ajuste. NM. accommodation. N. ajuste. NM. agreement. N. ajuste. NM. composition. N. ajuste. NM. engagement. N. ajuste. NM. fit. N. ajuste. NM. fitting ...
www.tomisimo.org/dictionary/spanish_english/ajuste - Cached

liz askew May 12, 2011:

Would they be talking about the "diámetro de ajuste" of the "pernos" though?

Berni Armstrong (asker) May 12, 2011:

A shiny abstract? I would have said "adjustment diameter", if it was referring to some kind of adjustment area, but the fact that "both bolts were shiny on the surface of the base and the ***diámetro de ajuste*** seems to suggest that this is something else, a physical object or part of the bolt. Hmm, could it be a washer of some kind?