A disk drive suspension has a mount plate, an outwardly tapered load beam supported by the mount plate and having a base portion, a hinge portion, a beam portion having a first face with turned edges and a flexure supported by the beam portion distally of said beam portion face, and a generally congruent tapered stiffener having a central portion of a given height that is concave and open to the beam portion. The stiffener has left and right flange portions extending laterally from the central portion to the beam portion upturned edges to locate said central portion centrally on the beam portion face.