Fishy I have looked and looked for a a body sure grip with good ratios and not only have I not come across one, the bad ratios non sure grip ones seem to go for $300. I'd say a ready to go 8 1/4 3.55 sure grip would be more like $600 and it's not as strong as the explorer 8.8.
If the brakes are such a concern they did make drum explorer 8.8s in the 95 and older, less expensive too. You can probably buy a whole 94-95 explorer with a blown trans for less then $500, take the rear end and sell the other parts for your $500 back then scrap the body for another $100. While I believe its possible to grossly warp the tubes welding spring perches, I'd say with the basics of patience you would be fine.
I'm all for keeping a mopar a mopar but there is no way the most expensive part of my Barracuda is going to be the rear end!
