Your honest opinion

8-1/4''s are ok, but in my opinion are definitely inferior to 8-3/4. I have 8-1/4''s in my jeeps and the whole axle shafts rolling directly on roller bearings is just a bad idea. They are probably ok in light duty service, but I wouldn't feel good about their longevity in a heavily loaded vehicle.
On the other hand, because of their use in jeeps for so many years, there are still a lot of parts available for them.