But, to answer your question, you would just ditch the PCB and use loose switches. You have to change the wiring up since there will be no male 5-pin to connect to. You need a signal wire and ground to each switch. There are solutions out there that are pre-made for this type of modification.
3lb should be enough but I can understand needing more with a Link and a heavy aluminum battop. Unfortunately, anything over 3lb seems to squeeze the lube off of the pivot bushing after a short while making it feel like it’s grinding a bit. I have only experienced this on JLF and Hayabusa. Hayabusa handled the added tension better though. The grooves on the bushing help to hold lubricant. I think this is what made the difference.