thats just it, the distance will not be the same. if you take the bent one and measure between the holes in a straight line and get the measurement of say...2-3/4 inches. now if you straighten that rod and remeasure, it will now be longer between the holes...how much depends on how straight you make it. It DOES make a difference..in my example it is now 3 inches long. a gain of a 1/4 inch.
I am saying to straighten the bent one first, not replace it with a straight one as the straight one might be just the same length as the bent one when measured hole to hole. These kits sometimes need slight modifications to work as intended, due to differences in every ones setup...
Sorry, maybe I wasn't clear... I wans't going to "bend" the one currently installed. The RC4WD CMS Kit comes with two options, a bent link and a straight link. As you can see in teh pic the hole to hold distance is the same.