Needle bearing rod surfaces …
Have a great friend that’s IMO one of the best master techs on the planet . You might know him as Half Fast ( Chris Justice ) he’s a great source of tricks of the trade , years back he taught me that needle bearings prefer a slight texture instead of a chrome look , this allows the needle to roll instead of slide which max perfect sense. So for 15 years I’ve cleaned the crack cap surface with a SS brush , chase the loctite from threads , assemble crack capped surface and slightly torque . After torqued check cracked surface for perfect fit , I then use a 400 grit ball hone on big and small rod ends and slightly scuff the surfaces so there is a slight texture ,this has worked grand for me for 15 years , thanks Chris timeless tip from great knowledgeable friend …

Jay @ JSRE