How to weld a crack on a truck frame?

I have an 87 1/2 ton pickup with a 6 inch lift. I recently found a small crack that spreads vertically by about 2 inches. This crack is located slightly under the bolt hole for the rear shock.

I have a Lincoln wire welder but not on the bottle. Can I sufficiently repair with a welder of this class, perhaps with a steel plate. I do know to avoid vertical welds & have heard that oval plates should be used.

I am an avid do it your selfer so what can I do with what I have?
I started on a non bottle wire welder & have come close to mastering it so, I get clean welds no problem.
 
I dont know alot about welding but in my experience of wire welding without a bottle was not fun. The weld always turned out ugly and didnt bond very well. My father-in-law fixed several cracks in car frames and I have watched him do it. He grinds into the crack to make a V in the crack. Then he makes several passes on the crack until it is filled completly in. He does all of this with the lowest heat possible and always give the frame time to cool down between passes. Once the crack is filled in he grinds it smooth, then uses a plate like you suggested, again taking care not to over heat the frame.
 
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