1. 1/8 is plenty strong for short lengths (less than 6 inches), the CF is <very> strong.

2. Titanium rods cant really be joined, but they do come in several lenghts. Just measure the distance and buy the appropriate length rod.

3. The "hex" in the middle of the H9 rods is thier beauty - they are reverse threaded on one side so you can adjust the length by turning them one direction or the other without removing the clevis from the surface. It makes setup a snap.

4. Its not a big deal to remove the ends from the CF, they arent very strong laterally and you can break off the CF rod from the length and clean off the glue fairly easily. Actually I was surprised how easy it was to chip off the CF and remove JB weld with a wire brush on a dremel.