John - check into a longer throw-out bearing. Of you replaced the diaphragm cluch with another style, the T/O bearing might be too short to allow you to reach full adjustment. And though you can make a new rod like Doug did - making it out of stainless is a trade-off since the strength of stainless steel is a lot lower than most other steels. Making it longer makes it more prone to buckling. To compensate for it, you'll have to make it quite a bit larger in diameter.

There should be two springs that would prevent the rattling at idle. There's a spring between the fork and the countershaft, and another between the countershaft and a bracket that bolts to the frame (#17).