It looks like there will be wires inside that channel the lights are mounted to. I wonder if you could use a heat gun and a small putty scraper to get the rubber caps off the ends.
You might think a hacksaw will take forever but if the channel is aluminum, it should be a piece of cake. Before cutting with a hacksaw run the metal cutting blade along a bar of soap to lubricate the teeth. This makes the aluminum not get stuck to your blade.You can also do this with a sawzall with a metal blade but I would think a hacksaw would give you a cleaner and more accurate cut. A portable band saw is what I would use.
Regardless of how you cut it down I'd file it after to clean up sharp edges. Also be sure the filings from the cut don't end up on your led boards lol. Good luck with this I think you're right to think all you need to do is trim the channel on both ends down a little bit and then re glue the caps on or at least foam tape them
If you're worried about the light being too hot run it softer--it will give you better efficiency and extend the lifetime of your unit
My friend’s husband has a private aviation maintenance shop, and I actually have a teeny bit of background in that area. This should be one of the easier projects I have tackled over the years. (famous last words hahaha)
I don’t know what they used as an adhesive for the end caps, but hopefully methyl ethyl ketone will be enough to remove it cleanly. I will send an email to their customer service and see if I can get some replacement caps.
The wrong size hanging cable was packaged with the light, too, but that’s not a problem. I can easily crimp another couple of cables- but honestly I don’t even need them. I can clip the hanger cords directly to them instead.