Chrysler 300m -> do you really need a power-steering fluid cooler?

I finally found out where my power-steering fluid was leaking from.

After taking off the front plastic facia (which was easier to do than I
thought), the leak was easy to see.

The so-called power-steering fluid cooler is just a 4-ft long piece of
aluminum tubing bent into a long U shape and mounted sort-of under and
in front of the radiator. Rubber hoses connect to this pipe on the
driver's side using simple hose-clamps.

The pipe is welded to a pair of brackets that are bolted to the
underside of the radiator bulkhead. A small radiator (tranny cooler?)
is mounted to the front side of the radiator, directly behind this
cooler-pipe. The inlet and outlet for this small rad are located on the
bottom side. The PS cooler pipe was in direct contact with one of the
inlet/outlet nuts of this small rad.

One of the brackets must have been bent slightly during a minor
front-end impact with either a snow bank or parking curb, causing the
pipe to remain in constant contact with the nut. This caused a hole to
be worn into the pipe, causing the leak.

Here's what this cooler-pipe looks like:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/NjAwWDgwMA==/$(KGrHqV,!n0FBZy3hOwvBQnTNBC8+Q~~60_35.JPG

Apparently, that one was being sold on ebay for $40 - and it was used.
I see that someone sold a new one last year for $30. Most places seem
to be selling this for $50 - $75.

I could probably make one, it looks so simple in design.

Since it's the fall and the temps are going to get cold, I could
probably just bypass this thing by connecting the hoses together.

But I wonder if the power steering fluid gets so hot that you really
need this stupid piece of pipe?