have a lightly bent front axle housing (Dana 30) on a daily driver, according to the alignment shop. I don't know how as I don't rock climb/mud bog/wheel hard, or even have over stock size tires, but I do occasionally drive trails, through creeks/creek beds, and rescue people on snow/ice days. I would like to end up with:
1) something that won't bend under the same use
2) will handle that use on about 34x10/10.5" tires
3) 4.11 gear ratio (about 2500rpm @75mph)
4) a geared LSD or select-able locker (air or electric)
5) stays near stock width
6) the most economical approach to get there
What the best option? A bolt in replacement seems to run +$5k. It seems like a 1 ton swap with axle truss adapter could be done for about $3k if you can weld. Is there a more cost effective option?

 

If you were using stock tires and did this either you drive hard or it was bent previous if another person owned it. Pretty hard to justify 1 tons with the kind of use and tire size you describe. Why not find a Ruby front 44 E-locker and C-gusset and truss it. Think your price for 1 ton front end is out to lunch unless you can snag the right diff from Pick-A-Part then do all the narowing yourself. But then you have 8 stud wheels on front and 5 stud on the rear.
Me? I have a V8 and do medium tempo wheeling IE no rock crawling and have no extra strengthening and all is straight. But one observation I made is between my 2008 and son's 2016 Ruby's his front axle housing tubes are about 1/8" diameter thinner on the outside than mine measured with vernier calipers.

 

Good point, I'm the second owner so it's possible it's been bent all along. In which case would a "JK APEX Front Axle ARMOR KIT" add any significant strength to a dana 30, such that the 34" tires were not a worry?
I'm not seeing JK rubicon axles coming up for sale, am I looking in the wrong places? What are they going for now?
Yes, that 1 ton calculation would require a serviceable used unit with 4.11 gears, 69.25"WMS, and grabbing the trucks' wheels to match. Only new item allowed for was a gear LSD.

 

Try Robbie at Motech LS Conversions in Vegas. He does lots of conversions for motors and same owners get the diffs changed out at the same time.

 

I would do a D44 front axle- like a dynatrac. You can re-use your outer stuff (hubs, brakes) to save money. Or try to find a rubicon take off front axle, many had 4.11 (some 3.73).