Axle swap

What are your plans for the Jeep? What's the biggest tire size, and will you have lockers? Do you use brains or your right foot more on the trails? My XJ on 32s and 35s never broke anything with the LP 30 and still never broke anything with the HP 30 swap, but I didn't lock the front and tried to use as much finesse as possible. I put a Detroit locker in the rear (29spline 8.25), and that still hasn't broken the stock shafts.

Your 96 should already have a HP 30, they didn't switch to low pinions until 2000. Carry spare shaft and you'll be fine... the weak point is usually the gears. I've seen a lot of them grind the teeth off the ring gear like an ear of corn, but that's usually due to fooling around or a really weird situation. If you're gonna winch somebody, put it in neutral and use the brakes! If you have the 8.25 rear, you'll likely have the 27spline unless it's a late production and happened to get the 1997 axle with 29spline shafts. The 29spline axle is a little stronger than a 44, but the 8.8 is stronger than both. A good choice if you want to be able to beat on it a little more.