I think the hole in the floor board is a possible place for electrical cables to pass through.
As far as the rod end:
- Try letting it soak in lubricant for 12-24 hours and see if it can spin off.
- If it is stuck because of powder coat you may need to heat it up locally with a heat gun/torch so that the PC melts temporarily. Be careful so you don't ruin the PC on the pushrod.