I agree the top rail needs tied in to the lower rail like stock 4x4 chassis. frame twisting and flexing is why most trucks have a tweaked frame just forward of the crossmember and behind front leaf-rear shackle same spot a 2x chassis tweaks with out the 8 extra bolts and 2 supports boxing the frame in that area.

look down the lower frame rail and see if it already has a slight dip in lower rail. looks like a crescent wrench was used to pull down on frame rail edge.. this frame tweak also contributes to the dodge truck lean on driver side along with all the other reasons they lean on drive side and need a spring spacer on 1 side.

I have watched a chassis shop chain a frame down on the frame rack and re-tweak the frame in that spot to make it flat and straight again, then add the 2 braces & 8 bolts along with the steering box brace & front coil spring rubber spacer on driver side to correct the doge lean.

I find it hard to find any truck frame after 35-40 yrs that does not have that small tweak on the frame lower rail in that area and is one of the first spots I eyeball on the chassis. what's bent & what's missing tells you a lot about a trucks life.

like poorboy said I have repaired a few bolt holes in the frame and beat the rail flat after snatching bolts thru the hole or shearing them off. manual shift can be brutal with a 12 pak and a good clutch. it scratches or it breaks.