Got my 88 XJ about a week ago. Noticed a 'tapping/thumping' sound at times under acceleration. It appears the exhaust hanger mount/bracket that extends out from the trans mount (pass side) is REAL close to the cross member. I think (am almost certain) it is hitting the cross member.

I can slide a pry bar under it and notice a good bit of up down travel (from the rubber trans mount)? Is this a sign of a weak trans mount?

Anyone else had this issue? Can the factory exhaust bracket be modified or adjusted?

Thanks in advance!

 

Chances are the rubber exhaust hangers are bad along with the trans mount... Also if you do any wheeling you might have banged and BENT the exhaust pipe a bit. If the pipes are clamped rather than welded you might be able to loosen and twist the pipe away for what its hitting.

 

Thanks. It's actually not the pipe that is hitting but the metal bracket (that holds the exhaust) that extends from the trans mount.

 

Any other ideas?

 

I'm having a similar problem with my 98. I have the same "thumping" noise as well. I have about a half inch between the crossmember and the exhaust pipe. I saw a thread a while ago and a guy had same problem, he replaced the mount and got a LOT more clearance. Its definitely worth a try, and I will probably be replacing my mount in the near future.

 

Also, I've heard reports that replacing the mount has resolved peoples problems in some cases.

 

Not sure if anyone is still working on the trans mount/exhaust hanger issue... but I just tackled that job recently. Unfortunately, the new trans mount didn't really make too much of a difference and the exhaust pipe was still extremely close to the crossmember. Also, I actually took the time to disassemble the exhaust hanger bracket, in an effort to replace that rubber block. I used a polyethylene block from Amazon and cut it to size on a table saw. Even after all of that, the exhaust wasn't hanging any higher.. so, out came the hot wrench. My brother-in-law heated up the hanger (where it attaches to the pipe) to a nice cherry red and simply gave the whole thing a good shove upwards, bending it to a new shape. Held it in place for a few as it cooled off a bit, and just like that, fixed. Now, the exhaust has a very generous amount of clearance from the crossmember and isn't hitting anything else.