The Ford's 8.8 is a well-supported axle housing in the locker and gear department. Gears are deep as 5.38's. To add, there are independent 8.8 in the rear axle applications. Check out the Lincoln's w/ ind. rear axles. (Do a search on Ebay and see what I'm talking about.) This would probably be a better idea. To add, H1 Hummers uses AMC20 axle housings.
I do have a TTB swing arm, along with ARB and 4.56's in my TTBD44 that I've pulled from my Bronco for a SAS. I can shoot some pics on the mounting. In using such, you wouldn't need a cv at the housing end, a simple joint would work fine as the travel angle is not great enough. Then the steering joint can be a joint also and thus would eliminate the cv joint all together. Get a set of spline axles like the TTB has on the passenger side, as a spring in the splip to keep pressure of the inner axle to stay in the housing and you got a decent idea.
Military M151 'Mutt' used this concept of u-joint axles on IFS in both front and rear axles. The shaft was fixed length and the axles were full time 4wd applications.
This vehicle was a larger version of the Marine Mighty Mite which was air-cooled, near 1500#'s due to the aluminum body. The Mutt's weight is near 2000#'s.
FWIW, Currie uses the 8.8 gears for their reverse cut 9" housings.
A U-joint would have enough range of motion for the outer part with steering and all?
Ford 9" rear ends can go up to 6.50 gearing, from what I hear
. I personally would want something more than 5.38's if I were to use a 9" and D44TTB setup, since I'd probably be able to go larger tires... something like 5.83's and dual t-cases with 38's
