Take a look at my calcs, maybe I should have stated conclusions in bold print.

1. The stock rod as measured will have a safety factor of 3 or more with a stock piston at 5,000rpm, with the pin end bored for a bushing. So saying the pin end doesn't have enough meat to bore for a bushing is incorrect.

2. At that stress level the hole will elongate a maximum of 0.0007 inch. A press fit exceeding that will keep the bushing in place. I'm thinking the press fit is more like 0.002". The bushing will remain in place.

This simple exercise in mechanical engineering demonstrates why going steel-on-steel is unnecessary.

R.