Vertical hitchpins ?

[jimialeggio5 at comcast.net]

 A question  on vertical hitch pins which Ive installed throughout the 
bass bridge and transition bridge. 
 
 1-When you adjust the hitch loop height with vertical hitchpins, do you do it 
at tension, or must the  tension be lowered?
 
 2-I made a simple brass tool tool to tap the loop down.  I initially set the 
loop height at the maximum on the theory that its easier to make adjustments 
going down to the plate rather than coming up from the plate. 

However, how do you bring the loop up on the pin?  In some places I can lever it 
up, but only in a couple places, and I really  don't want to do that anyway 
because it destroys the plate finish.  I was thinking about Joe Goss's impact 
coil lifter, as a solution, but I dont have his tool and I doubt it would fit 
behind most of the hitchpins...they are really close to the rim. 
 
 3-The word is that the maximum height of the loop off plate seems to be 5mm.  
Will the strings be pitch stable at that 5 mm height?.  

 Jim I