That is true, but at least you don't weaken anything and you can keep the length of your rod rather than cutting 4" off just to make a Z bend, that WILL fail sooner or later. In my 4 years of flying model airplanes, I've NEVER had an E.Z. connector w/ the metal clip ever fail on me. And I can safely say that it's NEVER happened to me. Thanks.
Clint