Kevin, if a person is boxing a section of a C channel, they are welding a plate to the 3/16 edge of the channel. Most of the plate is in midair. The elliptical shape/fish mouth is in midair. It will do nothing to alleviate a perceived stress riser.
Montana, I see you are holding a bracket in your hand. I assume this is what we are trying to mount in this post. I will assume you are holding it where you want it to be located. If so, make a rectangular plate from scrap steel, stitch weld it to the C channel and bolt the bracket to it. Or use a piece of rectangular tubing as a spacer and bolt it all together. or use a C channel the same size and bolt one leg on top of frame top leg and one leg on top of frame bottom leg. (two "C"s bolted together). You are not boxing a frame, you are trying to attach a bracket. Think outside the "box". Modify the bracket to be bolted maybe. Bolts are strong and permanent and this stress riser talk will end.
Can you give us the part number and company of the kit? Many of these kits are bolt on. May be your question should have been to ask how to mount that bracket. It should not have a been a boxing question. We may have some good ideas for mounting the bracket if we can see what was supposed to be done and what mistake was made. Glad to help.
My opinion: Try to avoid welding to a frame. I think you are thinking what I'm thinking. You are forming a plan. That's good a thing.
Thank you bartamos.
You were spot on i should've titled this "how do i mount this bracket" instead of what i did.
I bought the TCI 4-link rear suspension for up to 1954 3/4 ton Chevy trucks
https://totalcostinvolved.com/products/1947-1954-chevy-pickup-4-link-rear-suspension/On that page is the PDF for installation, indicating the axle brackets need to be welded 33" apart with the frame brackets provided sitting inside the frame rail.
After welding up the axle, i came to mount the hardware to the frame and realized it wasn't the same as the instructions. I called TCI and they told me to follow the instructions for the 4 link for their Chevy 55-59 trucks as that is the frame bracket they had included in the kit.
https://totalcostinvolved.com/products/1955-1959-chevy-pickup-4-link-rear-suspension/.As you'll see there the brackets should've been welded to the axle at 36" apart and the frame bracket provided shouldve sat outside the frame rail. Given the axle is done, my only choice now after calling TCI is to move these brackets inside (despite being designed for outside) and they recommended boxing that part of the frame so i had something to mount it to.
All in all im frustrated TCI messed up and im having to fix it, but thats life sometimes.
I don't have much experience which is why ive come here to bend the ear of you guys that do. Im open to any and all suggestions.
