Ford E-series spare tire carrier removal.

[dbhosttexas]

In my prior thread I had asked about tanks. I got the tanks and am now working on clearing the space for the tanks. To do this I need to remove the spare tire crane and its associated cradle.

I see several others here have done it, I just want to verify the method of removal without damaging the vehicle frame.

Point #1. My van has a class IV receiver hitch so the frame is stiffened at the back end via this.
Point #2. The cradle for the tanks has to be stepped as they are 2 different size tanks, a 20 and a 25 gallon, and they are not the same height. I will add a stiffener where I can.
Point #3. After seeing what Chrome Valdez went through with his rear bumper / spare tire carrier / cargo box blowing out the rear bumper mounts. I will have a welding shop / fabricator create a beefed up bracing for this area as I do want a swing out tire carrier and cargo box for the back of my van...

I am looking at the rivets that appear to attach it to the frame. It looks like it will take some careful, but aggressive application of an angle grinder to cut the heads of the rivets out, and then simply drive them the rest of the way out, and likely have to cut the cradle to get enough clearance to remove it...

Is that the only way to do that?