I whined about the trailer hitch/cooler install on my '05 Ody as overkill. There are some powertrain warranty issues if you put a hitch on without the tranny and PS coolers. I went ahead and put the whole Honda hitch/coolers package on. It's a lot of work, none of it out of the realm of a reasonably handy DIY'er. I routinely pull a small utility trailer, and a 16' boat (short distances) - no problem. I recently pulled a tall, 12' foot enclosed, trailer with about 500# of lumber in it, about 800 miles. With a load, or empty, at highway speeds, the wind resistance from the trailer was very noticeable, and caused the tranny to constantly shift in and out of O/D. I then really appreciated having the coolers on. If you are considering a hitch for any reason, I'd bite the bullet and install the coolers too. The Honda hitch is the best looking, IMHO, and does not hang down at all. Using the Honda coolers keeps the Honda dealers from trying to jack me around if there ever is a powertrain issue.