Goals:
Heavy duty axles
used 42" swampers
locked front and rear
hydro steering
winch
106" wheelbase YJ

No cares about modifying body, frame or mounts. Anything is possible with this.

Possible axles:
2.5 ton rockwells
dana 60s
14 bolt rear
404 portals
???

Hydro steering:
used tractor steering
??????

Lockers depend on axle, but brands:
detroit
???

Frame:
extend YJ frame
find a used frame off a longer wheelbased vehicle

Winches:
used Warn
???

Final project should weigh around 5000 lbs or less.

I wouldent run portals if your staying with leaf springs. They are impossable to control when it comes to spring wrap. With that said, this is what I would run:

axles:
2.5 ton rockwells, rear spool or welded and a Detroit up front


springs:
Rancho 44044's up front (pushes axle forward about 1.5-2")
2.5-3.5" lift XJ rear leafs in the rear (pushes axle back about 5")

frame:
stock YJ frame

winch:
Warn M12,000 or M10,000

Steering:
If it has to be cheap then maybe your tractor idea might work...or how about a hydrolic ram off a fork lift?

The fork lift ram might just work, good idea. How are portals different from any other axle when it comes to wrapping? I guess since the chunk and housing is higher, itll have more tendency to wrap forward in acceleration, is this right? I was kind of thinking about your idea of coil overs w/ the single leaf spring w/ zboxes (or a zig zag) and revolver shackles. That sounds very cool, but it will take a while for me to save up that kind of moola... so I wont borrow your idea..... yet . I was thinking, you could just add some or one control arm that could mount to the top of the housing along with the single leaf springs.

How is all this considered "budget"? You're talking thousands and thousands of dollars here?

How is all this considered "budget"? You're talking thousands and thousands of dollars here

no matter how you look at it... PORTALS are NOT budget.... nor are coil-overs.

Portal axles have way too much leaverage on leaf springs wich cause horrible amounts of spring wrap.

I know a place where I can get portals for $600 . Thats why I ask. Ive seen the portals used in competition before, and they work great with coilovers. Coilovers arent that expensive, I can get them for $400 a piece... not that bad considering they replace the shocks and create lift... all I would need to do is make some links for the axles, and extend the brake lines and such. Im selling my TJ and will have the money from it to build a rig with, I also gotta get a daily driver with that money also though. This project will take a while to build, but it should be done within the next 3 years.

Chevy D60 front (with 35 spline outers) and 14bolt rear, pick up a CJ D300 and bolt it in. Twin stick it if you want.

SOA with waggy springs front and rear. Comp cut the rear and extend the frame, and mount the spring about 6" back further than stock location. Put gas tank where the rear seat is.

Go hydrosteering, get some wheels and tires, and hit the road. Oh yeah, put a cage in it at some point.

Coilover set-ups are complicated to set up if you've never done it.I say keep it simple and bullet-proof:
One ton solid axles
SOA with YJ springs in front and XJ springs in the rear
NP 205,D300 or go for the Atlas T/C......