I know, I need pictures. I will get them.
I am trying to finish my 90 XJ. All stock, but lots of new parts. From the manifold back is all new exhaust with muffler and Mangaflow CAT. Need to pass CA smog. Waiting for warmer weather. Anyway I put a new transmission mount in and checked the rubber on the exhaust hanger mount. It was in better shape than the new block I bought that I was going to swap out. I did not. Anyway I had a local machine shop put the exhaust in knowing I previously had the exhaust hitting the top side of the cross-member (after the new trans mount). I did not have an issue. When I had to swap in a new CAT, he was mindful of the same situation. But now I am hearing it is hitting again. But here is the difference. When I pull down on the exhaust gently, no hitting. So there is clearance like before. When I push up, it hits. So it must be hitting somewhere like the pipe against the trans mount plate or even the tub of the jeep. Or it could be that oversized CAT. ( I have not determined yet.)

I have a big shop but no lift and in this cold, with RA at my age, I plan my ups and downs from the floor.
So my question is, what are the best ways to adjust the "system"? Can I put shims or spacers on the trans mount location and drop that whole mount then put spacers on the cross-member (lower everything completely away from body). I am not intuitive sometimes so I don't know all the tricks or see things that you guys with experience have come across. I am trying to keep it simple as I am just making this into a daily driver for now (stock). Someday when the economy is better and if I can save our farm this year, maybe I can spend again and build the jeep. But I just want this to be a fun driver. It runs great, just finishing the details and smog and some electrical.
Thanks

 

I fought that battle for longer than I needed to. Attached are photos of what I did on my 88. I did have to rebuild the rubber in the hanger bracket (there is write ups on that, FYI I sourced my rubber from boat bumper and drilled hole in rubber in center). I bent 9/16 cold rolled steel (what I had handy) and spaced the left right clearance of the pipe to the crossmember then welded it to exhaust clamp. You can adjust the clamp to raise or lower the exhaust till you have full clearance up and down, 10k and she still rides where I set her. It is custom exhaust from the headpipe to the CAT so there was no pipe hanger to use, if the hanger is exsisting you could grind it off and still achieve the same result.