New Bronco II owner w/Cracked crossmember

[mas_fina]

I need some suggestions I recently purchased this Bronco II for my son and this weekend I noticed a crack in the front crossmember under the engine. The crack stops at a rivet where the front axle is attached to the crossmember.

What is the best way to repair this crack and does anyone have any pictures of the repair?

Thanks
Jason

 

[rookieshooter]

The way the crack starts at the outer edge and goes to the rivet tells me it's a structural fatigue crack, seen some hard twisting along the way I presume?

In the fist pic, the crack seems to go up and under the other piece of metal but not going directly to the rivet.
In the next pic the crack seems to go straight to the rivet. Or is this the continuation of the crack on the other side showing that the rivet is in the middle of the crack?

I personally would have no problem fixing this. If you can draw the crack together using something like a come along device then just do some stitch welding along the crack letting it cool a little. Next I would sandwich the crack between two pieces of plate.
The plate would also give you a weld joint on either side of the welded crack giving it extra strength. May have to bend the plate a little to follow any curves.
Make sure you can get some welds at the very edge of the crack. Also may have to grind down the stitch weld a little before applying the splint. I would also avoid welding the rivet.