A support assembly for receiving a vehicle wheel suspension and adapted for mounting to a vehicle structure, is disclosed that includes: a transverse body (3, 203, 303) having opposite ends; a left hand anchoring strut (9, 209, 309) extending downwardly from the transverse body (3, 203, 303) to define a distal left hand lower end; a right hand anchoring strut (7, 207, 307) extending downwardly from the transverse body (3, 203, 303) to define a distal right hand lower end. Separately attached left hand and right hand external reinforcing elements (31, 33; 231, 233, 333) each extend from an adjacent one of the opposite ends of the transverse body (3, 203, 303) to a connecting area (35, 37; 235, 335, 337) adjacent the respective one of the left and right hand distal lower ends of the downwardly extending anchoring struts (7, 9; 207, 209, 307, 309).