Terry Oxandale
Skinny Man
My thoughts were more along the distribution of that force through a small triangular gusset (or thin plate as you've noted) connecting the two longitudinal tubes, with the heavier lateral cross bar. I've always attempted to place the point of force at the joint itself, and if displaced off the joint (as done with the two longitudinal tubes), then reinforce that area to re-distribute the loading. Photos don't show it all, so you may be fine with what you've got. Perhaps I overbuild too much.