If your rig has the stock steering, then it has the J-arm setup which is a weak setup.  Which works fine for stock tires, but once you lift it, it becomes a weak point.  Learn how your rig handles, and then gradually build up what needs to be fixed.  There are many of us here that wheel hardcore stuff and don't have cages or exo's.  85% of us only run rock sliders, and have very minimal body damage, and most of that is either fenders or the tail end of our beds.  Which is why most bob there beds, for better departure angle. 

Get the motor/trans swapped out, and do a crossover steering setup and try to do a efi swap if you can, or if you go with carb, stay with the factory carb.  Then wheel.  Get to know your rig and learn from it.  Then upgrade to what would get you to the next level.  Then wheel. 

We need pics asap.