I tried again this morning with a 5# short-handled sledge hammer. The leverage rod went through just fine. Took about two licks on the first hole, which had already been shaped some from my prior efforts, and three licks on the pass-through second hole. Then curiosity drove me to see if I could easily pull the rod back out, since I wanted to know if it might fall out easily from vibration. I could not, even when I lined up the little tabs with the grooves they had made passing through the hole. I think I could pull the rod out if I had the little tabs lined up precisely and pulled really hard, but I didn't want to do that. I think the rod is in to stay. Thanks to you prior posters for the advice.
