Jim;
I plan to temporarily replace the elastic stop nuts with ordinary 1/4-28 nuts when I cut the studs so there will be no problem from the heat. After cutting, removing the nuts over the cut ends will swage the threads back into shape. Then I'll replace the locknuts.
Don;
Moving the mounting straps would involve removing & replacing 20 rivets plus getting a wrench on the nuts facing backwards would be a bit more difficult. Good idea, though.
Regards, Neil Tucson, AZ