I once asked the collective on here about the heat traces but to a man all said thats ok. your cases sound ok if you cant slip bearings in or out, but the hotrods rod is not a good plan.there have been reports of their k5 application not being too clever.I would absolutely not compromise with this.if you can't get a kwak rod, the vesrah is japanese and forged, and I have found no reports of problems with them, and vesrah are an oem supplier.PRO-X rods are supposedly oe quality, but there not forged.and as for double forging,once ought to be enough.my 5 quids worth.K.