Just pulled the manual transmission out of my 1990 tracker.  Is the front shaft supposed to be tight or can it move up and down quiet a bit?  Where shaft goes into back of engine looks good, just don't know if it will need to get rebuilt.

The input shaft of the tranny should have little to no play.  Most have some play.

Mine is pretty loose. Guess I'll have to take it to a shop..  Was hoping it was normal.

There is a big bearing behind the front cover on the tranny.  There is also a needle bearing between the input shaft and output shaft.  These bearings are what contribute to the shaft play.  The big bearing more so than the needle bearing, IMO....since I don't recall that rebuild kits come with a replacement needle bearing.

Is that bearing easy to change, or does a shop have to do it.  I just have mostly basic tools.

You have to remove that front cover that has all the bolts around the perimeter.  Then you pull the shaft out and press the old bearing off and press the new one on.
If that bearing is really loose, then the others inside the tranny are probably getting loose/worn too.  So you could just replace that bearing, but all the others may need replaced shortly as well.  The tranny will make growling/rumbling noises in one or more gears (usually 4th is the quietest), when the bearings start to get worn.  To replace all bearings you need a long bearing puller, or a press, to get them off the shafts.  Other than that, it is just clips and snap rings that have to be removed to get all the parts off the shafts.  And I would also recommend a good diagram of the tranny, so you know where everything goes and how to reassemble it correctly...some parts can be installed 2 different ways, but only 1 way is correct (not usually a big deal, as long as you either pay very close attention to how it all comes apart, or have a good diagram (or factory service manual). 

Got a call from the shop today. Guess the front bearing exploded and trashed all the gears. $1600. OUCH    Gonna have to find a used tranny.

Anyone know what years interchange with the 1990?

Got a call from the shop today. Guess the front bearing exploded and trashed all the gears. $1600. OUCH    Gonna have to find a used tranny.

Trail tough sells rebuilt trannys for about 800. Dunno wha the core is or if yours is a usable core

Anyone know what years interchange with the 1990?

89 to, at least, 98.  The 16V trannys will interchange as well, but the 5th gear ratio is higher (lower RPMs at the same speed) than the 8Vs.  Find a tranny from behind a 1.6 and it will interchange.
You can also get good quality rebuild kits off ebay for a little under $200.

Appreciate the info I've been getting.  Bought a used tranny from a salvage yard for 325. Has 60 day gaurantee/refund.  Looks like new and shaft feels super tight and spins smooth.  Getting ready to put it back in.  Anyone know how much gear oil tranny and t-case holds?
   Anyone having the whining noise in all gears but 4th. Was told by shop that this is because 4th is the only gear that takes all the load off the bearings.  That gear is direct run from engine to drive shaft. Thought that was interesting.

4th gear doesn't use the countershaft, so that is why 4th is usually quieter than the other gears.  If you have a lot more noise in the other gears, that means the bearings are getting worn.  I referenced this in one of my previous posts.

The trans and t-case have their own oil supply, the t-case takes about
2 quarts, the trans I don't know, but you want to make sure the new
oil you get is "Yellow Metal Friendly" so it doesn't eat your syncros in the
new trans.

Wild

The tranny takes a little under 2 qts., from what I remember.

Do you know what to torque the bolts on the pressure plate to?  I don't have a service manual.  I think I need to get one.