Okay guys I noticed this while doing this nv3500 swap but it appears to me that my transmission cross member is angled down some on the back almost like it is bent. Doesn't appear that the tranny mount sits flat on the cross member. This bothers me bc idk if it's enough to change the tranny angle and cause oil to not properly get to the bearings. The last thing I want to do is ruin this tranny and a
Have to remove it because of that.

Is there anybody that can check and see if their dakota appears the same way or not or if they think it will cause problems.

I've never hit anything with the truck but I haven't owned it forever either

 

Is it possible you could get a phone in there and snap a picture? If you're referring to the mounting surface (top) of the cross-member, mine's parallel to the mounting surface on the trans; doesn’t appear angled. A picture might help though, to be sure we're talking about the same thing. My Dakota is an '89, so the trans cross-member on yours might look a little different too.

 

Yes it doesn't sit flat on the mounting surface almost like the cross member is pulled down on the back side. Idk how well you can tell from the pics but the one is before I removed the old tranny. And as u can see the cross member on the concrete doesn't even sit flat.

 

Looking at the pics, it does appear like its angled down like 3/16's to maybe 1/4 inch; the difference is apparent in how much the rubber mount is flexed. You could possibly shim up the height in the rear with spacers or a plate across the two rear-most holes. However, I'd be interested in whether the mount is deformed enough to cause the rear of the trans to sit too low, or even too high. To check that, put the shims or plate in place, then put a straight edge across the bottom of the frame as near the mount as you can get, then measure the distance from the straight edge to the mounting surface on the bottom of the trans. Alternatively, you could measure to any reference point on the trans, then report what you find back here. I can then measure mine and we'll see if your's is off. If it is off significantly, then as you mentioned, it might affect your drive shaft geometry.

 

Okay I will try that tomorrow evening since that's the next time I'll get to mess with it. Only downside is I can only shim so much or I won't have enough threads on the Mount sticking through the cross member to attach the nut. And do u have the same cross member as well??

 

No, your crossmember is different, and so is your mount. But, in the end, what will count is whether the configuration puts the tail of your tranny in the right place vertically, and horizantally (though it doesn't look like you have an issue there).

I see what you're saying about thread length on your mount. I was thinking of mine, which has bolts running up thru rubber donuts into the trans. If you could manage a 3/16's shim, that might be enough.

Take at least one of your measurements with the trans just sitting static on the mount.

 

Alright I will update this post once I get to it later tonight and I'll let u know.

 

Okay I'm reading from the bottom of the truck frame to the mounting surface for the transmission mount on the transmission itself and I'm getting about an 1 3/4 inch.

 

This is with the transmission just resting on cross member and the Mount installed.

 

Good, that's what I get as well, just shy of 1 3/4 inches.

If it were mine, I think I'd try bolting the crossmember in place then bolting a beam to it thru the transmission mounting holes. With the length of the beam pointing rearward it would act as a lever which you could jack upward to try and straighten the downward angle of the mount. Check it as you go to make sure the front of the mounting surface doesn't move lower. I don't think it needs to be perfectly straight, just closer than it is now, as the rubber in the mount should compensate for a minor difference.

If you can tweak it upward, even 3/16", I think it'll work OK. If anything, the tranny mount might wear out just a little quicker, but I don't think it'll lead to anything worse than that.