For what it's worth, I've loaded sketchup DXF's into ACAD and saved out the file as every version of ACAD offered - makes no difference, solidworks distorts the rods every time.

Loading sketchup DXF's into ACAD looks okay, no distortion, but the same file will distort in SW every time.

This concerns me, DXF files I've alwats assumed to be a kind of standard, and any software program should interpret them the same - this isn't so, and wastes a lot of time trying to resolve.

I should point out that Antics3D makes an awesome job of presenting sketchup SKP files, take a look at this, which antics produces from a standard SKP file:

I imported the SU DXF file into ACAD2008 - it looks okay.

Oddly, solidworks swells the centre of a cylindrical bar too - a 1" solid metal bar of 0.545" radius.

Is this a clue?

It's not as if it's a wildly complex model consisting of:

8 lengths of 1.5" x 1.5" angle iron
One solid metal 0.545" radius rod angled every 20 inches
2 x straight rods 0.545 radius
2 x lengths of same rod with angle.

Here's some pics:

Solidworks doesn't like SU DXF files either.