tranny mount or other issue?

my stock 99 was making banging noises while starting and sometimes while driving.

I noticed the exhaust pipe resting on the tranny crossbrace. also noticed the transfer case is basically or almost touching the factory skid plate.

I figured the tranny mount was worn out and everything was sitting lower.

tonight, after some bolts needed grinding off.... I replaced the tranny mount with a parts store one. I had to jack the tranny higher up quite a bit to get the cross member back up to the frame. great I thought, problem solved. both were now higher when all bolted back up. untill I let the jack back down on the tranny. everything sank down to the same spot as before I started once fully weighted....

is the new parts store mount a POS? that couldn't hold the weight?... the old mount actully looks fine. came out in one piece. so maybe it's a different issue?

how close is the xfer case normally to the skid plate? is it normal to be so close, if so, maybe it's an exhaust issue only instead? I should have changed the exhuast hanger when i was in there. that might solved it I thought it was all one piece. but wasn't.

other then a bad new mount, I don't know what it would be if both are still too low.


pictures
https://www.thehulltruth.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=997711&stc=1&d=1507274318

https://www.thehulltruth.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=997712&stc=1&d=1507274318

How do the motor mounts look ? A small spacer under the trans mount will likely solve the issues.

I put a new dealer tranny mount in my Jeep a few years ago. It wasn't as bad as yours for hitting the factory skid and exhaust, but they warrantied it out. Replacement was fine. I think the rubber was just too soft.