8 3/4 out of d100 question

Depends on your welding ability but realistically if you must shorten the housing/axles and you don't have the equipment and or knowledge compare the actual costs involved in building axles. Most of the time you can buy an a body housing for the price of shortening and shipping. The truck gears are probably 3.55 or 3.91 which are good gears. Some will tell you to go with8.8 cheap disc brakes but not a bolt in and when you pay to get it to the "bolt in" stage you have money tied up in it. Get all the prices that you can in your area because shipping can break the bank.