Yeah, CU... phD student in archaeology (Dept. of Anthropology), did my MA at Wyoming and BA at Montana State/Northern AZ U.
I'm not sure what you mean by "are there no problems doing this with stock LR shocks"
The stock LR shocks on Discos are worthless. It's the same technology that's been used on cars since the Model T, essentially. The OME shocks are nitrocharged, and the ride afforded by OME shocks/springs are night and day compared with the stock setup.
The OME setup includes shocks, springs, and the aforementioned steering dampener. Not only will the ride be much improved, but you'll garner a couple inches of clearance to boot.
If you mean what problems are associated with swapping front and rear springs, I couldn't tell you. It sounds like a hack job to me, and those are generally to be avoided.
Just pony up for the MD/HD setup, you won't regret it. I used the MD because I never carried the sustained loads HD setups are often associated with. Don't be mislead into thinking the HD is "better" than the MD. The HD is just stiffer, to put it briefly, and has its plus and minuses.
Throw on some 31" tires, take out the rear sway bar (and the front, if you're an on-road masochist), and you've got a very capable little machine for $1000 or so.
P.S. I've been driving a stock 96 now for quite a while, with no intentions of upgrading. With a deft hand, my little girl loves to surprise me. Make sure you're ready to invest in taking your rig to a new level--once you start, your paychecks start looking skimpier and skimpier.