Should I Copper or Nickel plate?

[robert-a]

I run a small machine shop engine rebuilding bus. I have some connecting rods that are very rare on a 2 cycle race engine that runs in 10,000 rpm range at 210 degrees F. The wrist pins are press in fit. As they have gotten older the hole in the rod is stretched and the wrist pins slip out of place. The connecting rods were originally copper plated before the holes were machined so there is no plating on the id of the hole. I would like to plate the wrist pin end of the rod to decrease the id of the hole so there will be an interference fit again. To install the wrist pin you heat the rod with a propane torch(probably 600 or 700 degrees F) to expand hole and drop the pin in and when it cools it should stay in place. The rods are steel. Should I copper plate or nickel plate the rod. Would the nickel plating withstand the heating for installation without cracking and flaking. Will one of your kits do what I need to do. I need a very durable plating that will stand heavy loads, when one of the wrist pins moves out of place it usually destroys about $1,000.00 worth of parts. I don't have any commercial plating places near me , it's something I am going to learn to do myself, any help you can give me would be great.
Allen

[adambond]

IM JUST GUESSING YOU SHOULD HARD CHROME PLATE THE ROD HOLE. THEN MACHINE IT AS CLOSE TO STOCK AS POSSIBLE THEN IF YOU HAVE TO HARD CHROME PLATE THE WRIST PIN. REMEMBER THAT THE ACTUAL TEMP OF THE WRIST PIN WHEN ITS IN BATTLE IS PROBABLY FAR GREATER THAN 210 DEGREES.
IM NOT A MACHINEST SO THIS IS JUST MY 2 cents
BONDO