Weld, bolt or rivet??
You can hot rivet if you cheat.
First off you need to have the right sized dolly and snap make the snap out of two big bolts screwed together into a heavy duty spacer.
Next find a supply of rivets not always as easy as it may seem these days.
Now you need an oxy torch.
Fit the rivet into the hole in the frame and cross member pre-formed head down (as you stand above the frame) it needs to be a light hammer fit
Support the lower frame rail, ie: pack with solid packing to the floor, you'll see why in a moment
put the snap into the frame rail and screw the bolts appart until the rivit is pushed up hard to the frame rail(if you put a bit of scrap steel strip say 14 gauge under the lower bolt head it spreads the load better)
Take the Oxy torch and heat the tail of the rivet ONLY not the frame until red/white heat do not start to burn the rivet, ie you will see spakes coming off if you have over cooked it.
Give the torch to your mate, take the dolly and a good sized hammer and with one or two blows close and form the rivet. Thats why you pack the frame otherwise all you do is bend the lower rail, not good and ends in tears!!!.
There you go, I've done it and it works and I know several other people who have done it as well.
If you don't want all the trouble bolt it, the problem with welding cross members is that the torsional strength of the weld can be a problem, frame rails are les of a problem as the load is axial.
Pete
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