Working from memory here: have someone push the clutch and look at the hole where the release arm goes in the bellhousing to see if it bottoms out.......if it does the clutch internal adjustment is wrong...or perhaps a rebuild has been milled to much or out of min spec........has the flywheel been turned.

 If it doesn't bottom out then the new rod will help.......all this assumeing that the MC/SC is blead and therefore getting a full stroke.

John