How is a Dana 70 or Jana 76 going to help someone looking for a 2.73 rear end ratio?

The 9.25 could be a solution but there is no way it'll ever be as strong as a Dana 60. I would really like it to be, but for some reason it isn't. There are plenty of them out there, broken. I think of the 9.25 as in the same strength zone as a GM 12-bolt car rear. My drag racing friend told me he had rebuilt 12-bolts many many times before switching to a Dana 60. After the Dana 60 swap he never touched the rear end, and it was running 4.10 gears from the truck in which it left the factory, plus a spool.

The Ford 8.8 is another possibility.

Taller tires can help.

Rear end life is determined by shock loading and the amount of torque the tires are able to resist.

R.