no it doesn't need it in the truck - yes it could hurt if you have a third mounting point, the trans cross member is only used w/ the automatic, which doesn't have the bellhousing mount
"When we tug a single thing in nature, we find it attached to the rest of the world" ~ John Muir "When we tug a single thing on an old truck, we find it falls off" ~ me Some TF series details & TF heater pics