1996 Dakota Club, 4x4, V6 auto, NP-231D. About 130k miles.
Picked up this Dakota a while back for a dump runner and to haul landscape supplies. First time out on a washboard road the transfer case lever seemed to have a lot of movement and there was a thumping on the floor. Got under it and the t-case is only like 1/2" from the floor at rest. First thought was transmission mount bad...but the trans mount is sandwiched between the trans and the crossmember. If it was collapsed (weak) the t-case would have extra clearance, not less. Granted a worn out mount could allow more movement while driving but that doesn't explain why there is so little clearance at rest. I did the "power brake engine mount test" and the engine didn't wiggle. I also verified that the mechanical fan is centered in the shroud so I don't see the engine mounts being the culprit.

I was at the junkyard yesterday and looked at a couple others and they have like 2" of clearance there.

Spent several hours wrestling the mount out today. Lack of clearance means I had to try to drop the crossmember to get the mount clear. I say "try" because the boxed frame is angled such that when unbolted the crossmember wants to climb up the rails not drop down. There was a rainbow of language coming from under that truck this evening. It doesn't help that I'm doing this in the gravel driveway instead of on my lift because "it's 8 bolts and a little jacking to get the mount out". I should know better than to listen to my optimistic self.

Got the mount out, headed to NAPA with my old mount in hand (thinking I had outsmarted Murphy's Law) only to find that the new mount is actually about 1/8" taller!

Anybody have any input or suggestions? I'm headed back to the j/y tomorrow to compare mounts and the bracket that mates the mount to the trans.