New from O'Fallon MO
 

Hey, I recently sold my 2011 FJ Cruiser and will be hopefully ordering a new Wrangler in July.

Looking for forest roads to explore throughout the midwest and tentatively planning to trip to Alaska.

Welcome. You should look up material from @Mark Doiron . He has a lot of great content that sounds like might be up your alley if you're thinking about things like Alaskan trips. Great videos of trips and info in regards to planning and mapping things out.

YouTube channel -
https://www.youtube.com/user/DigitalByDoiron/featured

fyi, St. Louis seems to be one of the higher locales for regears across the states from what I've seen members chime in with.

Wow, that channel looks like something right up my alley! I also watch a bunch of other Youtube Channels -- Coyote Works, Venture4wd, TrailRecon, and a few others.

Interesting about regears... so are you saying it seems like a lot of Jeep folks around here regear their jeeps? I know we've got a lot of hills in the Ozarks and other places going in and out of river valleys. I'm planning to order a rubicon w/ manual, and sticking with the 33" tires and maybe upgrading to 35" later.

If you're sticking with 33s, you should be fine on factory rubi gearing. regearing is pretty common thing on these once you're getting to 35s and larger. idk why, but seems like the people in your area reporting shops charging high end of what we typically see the job done for across the states. I like Brad on the TrailRecon, mainly because I feel his opinions are pretty unbiased and he's not out pimping products with the manufacturers hitting his pocket with compensation....unlike some other popular channels that have turned in to just pushing certain products trying to make a living.

Enjoy the jeep and the places it takes you. Mark is active on this forum and has useful overlanding information.

Greeting's Fellow Missourian. I have not researched any Jeep Trails in Missouri. Years ago I would be back in Patty Creek almost every weekend with my FJ55 and later FJ40 Land Cruisers. That got all messed up when that area went into a Wilderness Area. You might research the Sunk Lands near Summersville, Missouri.

Good luck with your Jeep purchase. Lots of choices of colors, and options.

Bob R

From Springfield area originally. I used to ride my yamaha dirt bike down those old logging trails around Patty Creek before it went to a Wilderness Area.

Welcome! You should be fine with 33's! Once you get past the 4 speed auto... which I think ended in 2011... it seems some are fine with 35's without re-gearing.