Jesus Christ..... another Dana30 advocate. Look I'm all for using a D30 if it suits your need, but trying to make it an axle that it is not..... well, I don't know why people do that.
For starters... if you're buying an EB44, and putting it into your wheeling rig to run stock, you're an idiot. The D44, be it EB, Waggy, F150, F250 is better than any D30 you can get, period.
Cheaper to build
stronger, in all fashions, LP or HP.
hub/wheel bearings
easier to hi-steer
Also, you talk about upgrading from a D30 to a D44 not being a real upgrade. These trucks didn't come with D30's, therefor you're not "upgrading" from a D30... you're choosing a D30 or a D44. 10 out of 10 times the D44 is the better choice. Some people just don't want to be patient and wait for the deals to come across, which is fine, because the D30 might work out well for them. Still, even in a jeep with a D30, the 44 is a significant upgrade if you cannot afford/find 1-tons.
I wheeled with this guy quite a bit when we were stationed together, and I can assure you a D30 would never survive under this ZJ