Im very new to all this so please bear with me. I have an 87 samurai and wanted sometime in the future to get yota axles to make it more safe for my kid with the wider base and I want to just keep my eyes out for some deals on the axles.
My questions are:
1. what do I need to look for?
2.what yota axles do most do?
3.if I did the swap what do I need to look at getting in all?
4.Is the bolt pattern the same so I can stay with my 235-75-75's on my rims or do I need different rims?

Thank you, Brandon Williams

If you're going to stay in that ball park with tire size, don't waste your time with putting Toyota axles in there. Yota axles are commonly used for 33" + tire sizes. If you just got to have Yota, most common swap is '84-85 front and '86-89ish rear. Don't forget the rear is centered on a Yota axle so you'll get highway driveline vibes.

You're not falling for that "Samurai are tippy" nonsense are you? If you keep your rig similar in size you have now, you'll have a real hard time tipping it unless you do something just crazy. Take it out on some abandoned / little used roads and drive it around in a sporty fashion. I think you'll be suprized at how well it'll corner.

...and your wheels will not work on the Yota axles. 5 on 5.5" for the Samurai 6 on 5.5" for the Yota.

Hope that helps.

-Eric

Also consider high quality bolt on wheel spacers if you have to have it wider, much cheaper than a axle swap and keep current wheels.

I was going to suggest that, good advice on the spacers.  If they're high quality, they should last a long time and no problem.  And eric's advice is good too, unless you need it, you might as well not deal with it.  
If safety/rollover risk is a worry for you, might I suggest a full interior cage for an extra precaution?  It'd be cheaper and easier than Toyota axles, and would provide better safety in ANY situation (as opposed to just "stability" issues).

thanks guys for the input on the axles I will try the spacers first since im going to school and poor. On the cage does anyone know who is cheapest on a full cage or atleast a rear add-on? If I can find a good cheap rear add-on I have someone that said that they could weld it up for me for free.

With a little grinding around the edge of the rear brake drums and front calipers you can reverse your stock wheel to change the back spacing. I welded over  the valve stem holes and drilled new ones on the other side. I never worried about tipping but I did have some rubbing issues after putting on the 235's

That's another idea...stock Samurai rims have no tapered lug area, it's just a hole drilled in a flat rim?

Another idea I've had in the back of my mind for a long time, if I ever found a Samurai I wanted to go the "extreme" route on...is to swap FJ40 axles.  
WHY?
Because: (correct me if I'm wrong) but Suzuki's are 7.5" diffs, Toyota Hilux/trucks are 8" diffs, but I BELIEVE that FJ40s are 8.5" diffs?  Right?
Anyways, they're front and rear passenger side offset axles...just like a Samurai...and I think they are shorter than a Hilux PU axle, but still longer than a Samurai axle.  But they sell lots of parts for them just like any Yota axle.

For the cage I have been really happy with my Davesport full cage in my SJ.

That's another idea...stock Samurai rims have no tapered lug area, it's just a hole drilled in a flat rim?

Another idea I've had in the back of my mind for a long time, if I ever found a Samurai I wanted to go the "extreme" route on...is to swap FJ40 axles.  
WHY?
Because: (correct me if I'm wrong) but Suzuki's are 7.5" diffs, Toyota Hilux/trucks are 8" diffs, but I BELIEVE that FJ40s are 8.5" diffs?  Right?
Anyways, they're front and rear passenger side offset axles...just like a Samurai...and I think they are shorter than a Hilux PU axle, but still longer than a Samurai axle.  But they sell lots of parts for them just like any Yota axle.

The holes are beveled on both sides the same. The spokes are slanted out so that's why you have to grind some off the edge of the drum and caliper. So the rim tightens up against the drum and rotor. I ground a little and checked ,ground a little more ect. I also found that it was easier to grind the rear drums by jacking up the car and running it in gear while grinding the drum. Came out real even that way.

I agree with jluck.  if your stayin with a smaller tire, go with the wheel spacers.  theres a jeep guy on pirate that has the best deal i have litterally ever seen.  i got 2" all the way around, started with 29x8.5 tires and moved up to 33x1250 and then put the spacers on

I keep hearing of spacing the wheels out and just wondering how wide you guys are getting.
How wide (wheel to wheel, outside) are you guys running ?

Keep in mind if you ever buy new rims down the road you can get them with different backspacing to space them out some too.

the wheels i got arent offered in the backspacing i ended up needing, like i said i have 2" spacers on all 4 tires.  havent measured the width.  outside depends on tire width also.  i wanted to run 33x1550s but that leads to more rubbing and alot of added weight/stress on the axles. 

my 2 cent plan is to run stock axles as long as i can and if or when they break depending on how much $ i have in the bank to a yota upgrade or do chomoly axles.  the latter would be cheaper(from what i have seen) and provide an upgrade in strength

MY RULE OF THUMB WITH WHEEL SPACERS IS ONLY GET AS MUCH (LITTLE) AS YOU NEED. THEY DO PUT A LITTLE MORE LEVERAGE ON SPINDLE AND BERRINGS.