Shorties, swollen nuts, cross threads, and torquing

Well that's an odd title, but cacurate.
I threw on short tubes headers today and noticed 1 bolt on the trans bracket is stripped in the trans housing. Now, I can try getting it out and chasing the threads another day. If I leave the bracket unattached to the header collector, would the engine tq/twist possibly cause undue stress on the header/manifold studs and cause em to snap? That trans bracket portion is quite beefy so I assume it was meant for something.
For now the bracket slaps around some on bumps and is annoying sounding, but I don't wanna take an angle grinder to it yet.

As for swollen nuts.... Apparently either the lugnuts.... ALL OF THEM swelled so a 21mm will not fit on them (sockets too small now), and a 22 is sloppy. No standard will fit better either. I know it's not my socket because I tried the OEM lug wrench.... No fitty.
...... or the last tire shop used a shitty socket and rounded the edges of the lugnuts just enough to fubar fitment of a proper 21mm. Strangest shit today, shoulda been a simple deal, but no. I'll buy 24 new lugnuts and spin the old ones off with a 22mm I guess. If I get a flat while on the road tho, I'mma be pissed.

Now the important part again is.... Leaving the trans/collector bracket unattached, will that possibly cause too much stress to the header studs while the trucks under a load?

 

Ahhhhhh. This is why you were calling, while I was asleep.