Definitely go with manual hubs. Lots of Isuzu fans covet the Aisin manuals that came on some Troopers past. Check junkyards, etc. For new, there's SuperWinch, Warn (kind of) and some Brazilian outfit whose name I can't recall.

Lower gears are available. Search for +tera +lows and you'll find plenty.

Everybody's got an opinion on lifts. Body or Suspension? 2" of each will give you room for more tire than you'll ever need. There's only so much you can do with the factory front suspension, which leads us to...

Solid Axle Swap aka SAS. Search for it. The possibilities are only limited by your budget.