I just replaced motor (engine) mounts and transmission mount for my 97 explorer (4.0 ohv manual and 2wd) and would like to inform my experience to this website for some future people who want to try the same job.
First, I explain how to do the job on transmission mount. There are 4 nuts you need to remove. The top two (19 mm) of them are connecting the transmission mount to transmission and the other bottom two nuts (18 mm) are connecting the mount to the center cross member. According to Haynes manual, you need to loosen up only these 4 nuts if you jack up the transmission a little so that you can secure enough clearance for removal of the mount. But when I started this work, I did not look up the manual and went ahead and remove the center cross member. It was my first mistake. This removal of center cross member was easy, but would make your job take longer, maybe 1-2 hours more.
Then I removed the passenger side motor mount. I looked up other people’s experiences on this website and found two people who did this job on a 1st gen explorer and 2nd gen mountaineer. I think they dealt with the same mounts that I did. Mostly their experiences were very helpful, but I misunderstood one critical and important thing. This misunderstanding, the second mistake of mine, made me struggle to loosen two connecting nuts (18 mm) between the motor mount and the bracket on each side, wasting so much time. This bracket is attached to the engine with three 13 mm bolts on the passenger side. The driver side bracket is on the engine with four 13 mm bolts.
When you try to remove motor mounts, you should remove those 3 or 4 bolts which connect the brackets to the engine through each side well. Remove the soft plastic cover over the wheel and then use long extensions and universals. Although I removed wheels, I do not think now it is necessary. Do not touch the top two nuts that I mentioned above yet. Because of clearance problem, it is very difficult (almost impossible) to loosen up these nuts. You do not have to. After you remove the bracket bolts and one bottom nut on each side, you should jack up the engine a little. Unless you lift the engine a little up, the bracket and motor mount tied together undergoes a clearance issue and cannot get out. After you remove the motor mount and bracket assembly, you can separate the bracket from the motor mount.
There is one nut (18 mm) that connects the motor mount to the frame on each side. You may approach those nuts from under the car.
edit:
I forgot to mention a few important tips above. 1) When you remove motor mounts, you should do it one at a time, not both. 2) Although I removed fan shroud and fan, I do not think now it was necessary. You need to just have the fan shroud hang in there by removing two bolts that attach the fan shroud to radiator. 3) When you take out the motor mounts, you can do it through the side well on the passenger side. With the driver side motor mount it should be recovered through a space near starting motor from under the car. 4) I spent more than one full day for the whole job. If you don't waste your time on unnecessary steps, it can be done within five hours.
2nd edit:
The 2 top nuts of transmission mount mentioned above should be corrected to be bolts.
