Hello, i have an 88 wrangler, with a 258 ci engine and 4 speed transmission and transfer case from an 81 Cj-5. i am looking for a replacement front axle that have the differential on the passenger side, and also have the 5x5 and half wheel bolt pattern. i was thinking about using a scout 2 front axle, but i been reading they are not worth the trouble. My question,What would you recommend as a  budget replacement axle?  If i stayed with the scout axle, could the front springs from the wrangler work, for a spring over axle lift? Thank you for your time.  

There's a dana 300 in your Wrangler now? What front axle is in there? What would be wrong with a CJ D30? What is in the rear? It already has 5x5.5 lugs?  

yes, there is the dana 300 in the wrangler now. There is no front axle at the time. The jeep meant up with a pontiac on the highway and totalled the axle. So The front is on blocks right now.
the rear is from a 78 scout 2, i was thinking about using the front axle from the scout.  

Contact M.O.R.E in Colorado. They do lots of Wrangler SOs and sell the brackets. They also have done Wagoneer to Wrangler conversions using SO brackets. I don't know about Scout, but they should be able to get you going with advice and the stuff you might need.  

Scout stuff is a pain in the bum to work with. They have odd-ball brakes, hubs, and caster. I'd look for a '74-'79 Wagoneer Dana 44 front end (narrow track). Uses most of the same knuckle stuff as GM. You can change it to a 5-on-5.5 lug pattern by using '79 F-150 4x4 hubs, rotors, studs, and wheels seals. They bolt right on. It will be about the same width as your stock axle but you'll need to outboard the springs to make it fit. Or you could go with the '74-'79 FSJ Cherokee/J-truck front axle. It's about six inches wider.