Shackle Brackets

2001 XJ , I6, AW4
Normally I do all my own work but I got a herniated disc 6 weeks ago so
I made the mistake of letting the stealership replace my rear shackles.
They mangled the shackle bracket. It looks like they pulled the inner sleeve of the bushing through the bracket widening the hole and stretching the bracket. Then they took a BFH to put the bracket back into shape but it looks like they were overzealous and knocked the bracket into the shackle so the shackle couldn't move freely. I have managed to free the bracket off the shackle so it moves freely now and the bracket is almost back in shape well as best as I can get. I even told the service desk to be careful and not pull the inner bushing sleeve through the bracket.
Anyway my question I am concerned about the larger hole that is now in the bracket, and the overall structural integrity of the bracket. Should I strengthen the bracket by welding some additional plate or some other method? Would welding the fairly thin gauge bracket weaken it even more? Any advice appreciated.

Plate it would be fine. It you could get the shackle relocator like the hdoffroad

I welded 3/16 until I had a chance to build or buy new boxes. I ended up buying replacement boxes and so far, it's been almost as much work getting them fitted properly as it would have been to have just gotten some c-channel and plate and done it myself. It will depend greatly on how good of condition the area around your shackle boxes are. Mine were rusty and the upper shackle bolt broke off. Without using the nut hump, it's just not solid using the relocation boxes and if you're floor is rusted out above, there is nothing to hold the box in place now except below the nut strip.

MAKE them fix it...