Another thing to consider is that the low range that comes with the transfer case is very handy for climbing or desending steep hills that my not require 4wd for traction, but do require lower gears. Often to save my brakes, I'll descend steep trails in 4-low. Unfortunately, 2WD doesn't have this option

 

That's ashamed that you can't enjoy the 6-hour trip to the trail-head like we do
On the way to Death Valley

 

LOL, I never said I didn't enjoy it, I said it wasn't quiet compared to other vehicles, but that's not a problem for me.

 

As usual - It depends on one's needs, No one answer works for both Overlander's from the west and rock crawlers from the mid- west :

 

I got 33x12.5mud terrain tires. Quiet as a mouse. I do hear engine noise, and wind noise on the highway however. I drive the highways mostly with window down, even then tire noise is not bad. I got goodyears.

some MT tire are a lot noisier than others. Little seemingly insignificant changes in tread patterns can greatly affect noise. Some MT tires have these design elements, and thus greatly reduced noise verse a MT tire that did not take noise into the design considerations.
Not all MT tires are nlise, but some are, likewise for AT tires, some are noisey, other not so.
A quiet MT tire may make less noise than a noisey AT tire, yet that MT tire performs offroad much better than that noisey AT tire.

In the old days, before the science of tire noise was well understood, MT tire could be very loud, now days they can make them very quiet.

 

True -the noise depends on the specific tire just like what's stated in the video I posted. New tire tec is great! And where one wheels it also matters - for example, AT's are better in deep sand and smooth rock then MT's but in the muck, MT's rule. I have a German friend on Cooper SST that are needed in the soggy black forest he wheels in. However, due to the sand and rock in the West, most people here are on AT's. I'm glad the Goodyears are working for you where you wheel

 

My MT tires did great in the sand.

 

I'd LOVE to see an image of your jeep in the sand - Or come to CA and show me, I carry towing straps and D-rings if you can't make it

 

Another thing, airing down is oft underrated. Many folks dont airdown, or only air down a little bit, boy are they missing out. I run 30 psi for highway, and usually 12 psi off road, the traction difference is HUGE.

 

Good point - If people realized how much better a Jeep rides on a rough trail aired down - I'd wager more of them would air down

 

Right now I have no other choice than 4WD low cause I’ve got 3.07 gears and no locker but, I’m installing a lunch box locker soon and one of these days when my ship comes in, gears. Then I hope to use 2WD a lot and pull it back into 4WD hi when needed and low when crawler mode is required. I’m hoping 4.88 gears will allow me to do that anyways.

 

Understand, I go to 4 low for any steep climb with my 31" tires and 3.55 gears, but I understand that gearing down anymore from that will require replacing the carrier in the Dana 30. I guess this would be a good time to buy a front locker if you have to buy a carrier anyway ? I'm certain that with your tires, gearing down from 3.07 will be a wonderful transfermation for you're axels

 

Watch Matts offroad recovery on Youtube, he drives his Jeep all over the sand and pulls people out all the time, he has MT tires on his XJ. I don't have any pictures of my Jeep in the sand but I do have some of my F250 on MT tires in the sand, I pulled several people out on the beaches of the Outer Banks with it. Also I am certainly not going to CA any time soon.

 

I’ve got a Torq locker on its way which is goin on almost 2 months now for the 8.25 rear. In 4 low I’m in 1st n 2nd most of the time with some 3rd but definitely not a lot but I’m a slow poke and easy on my equipment. Most of the trails I’ve done should be 2WD with occasional 4WD and still not be hard on the skinny pedal if you’re geared right. I think a lot of drivers stay in 4WD too much which puts unneeded stress on your components

 

Just as my AT tires have been in the mud - I'm certain any skilled wheeler can succeed on sand with MT's. Traction and clearance are important , but as you probably know, without skill, all else is moot. I've watched Matt - though I trailed off when he pulled a heavy truck out in reverse with his XJ. Putting strain on diff gears opposite the way they are cut, when there was no need to, just rubbed me the wrong way, I guess. I do understand that he sold the banana though. In Death Valley, we happened on a women sunk to her axels in the sand. Fortunately, someone happened by in a full-size Dodge Truck who pulled her out . Sometimes MASS matters and I'm certain people you pull out are just as appreciative.