Keith,

I for one will vouch for the carbon push-rod system that Art offers. They are very easy to make up, and super strong. I simply wrapped the rod with masking tape at the cut line, and cut the rod on a band-saw with a 1/8" fine tooth blade. Clean up the inside of the rod with denatured alcohol, mix a slurry of JB Weld and coated the inside of the rod and the titanium barbed end with the mix, and inserted into the rod. Wipe the excess that ooze's out, and let set to cure and your done.

I was apprehensive about the system at first, but after doing some pull test, I am convinced that the rod ends are there to stay.