Not yet, been very busy, but I'm assuming that the bushing are worn out and when shifting into gear, the transaxle engages and puts a lot of pressure on the rope drive. The issue now is finding if there are replacement bushings.
These are the same rods that Ken at PPR sold under the Tomahawk Name. They are good for 750 plus HP and are very light rods. They are made by RPM and like a lot of products these days they are made in China. They are forged and made from 4340 aircraft grade material. These are very popular rods with the BBC crowd and have a great reputation.