I wonder if you could get a local shop to bend you up a replica of that, but in 1/4" or 3/8", then you just have to get some longer bolts, drill, and tap, then run the thicker one. Personally I would run angle iron on the top and notch it to fit over the crossmember part a bit to help stop it from bending again. I actually just picked up one of these and I wondered if it would bend like this...looks like I need to add some reinforcing before I bend mine.