We carry all parts for the Iron Barrel bikes including the link rod. 800-201-7472 If it were me I would make very sure that both cam plates inside the hub were free (you can test that when the rod is removed. If they are free your brake might be grossly out of adjustment which is not uncommon. There is a method of adjustment which involved drilling out one of the threaded holes that the rod goes through but as the OEM someone else better tell you about that.