Which front axle for swap?

Looking to get rid of my lp30. Currently running 4.88s and 35s and probably not going any bigger than that. I've thought about a hp30 and rubi lp44, but I've heard there isn't going to be much difference other than clearance issues. I don't want to dump a ton of money into this, but I want something that I can trust. A manual hub option would be nice down the line too. What should I do?

An HP D30 is the cheapest, easiest choice. It should hold up fine under moderate wheeling with 35" tires. The manual hub kits are expensive (about $1K) and IMO not worth the money in that it's still just a D30. If manual hubs are really important, go with D44. Older 44s have stronger housings than the 30 (the Rubi ones are the same tubes and ends as a 30, only the pumpkin is different, and no manual hubs either)

HP D44s out of Ford trucks are the most popular for this swap, but you'll spend a bit to source and build one. Waggy D44s are probably the cheapest D44 you can source for a swap, but they're low pinion.