Guys:

I'm thinking about getting some 31x10.5 mud tires for my '97 XLT 4x4. I'm looking at different brands and stopped by a tire store today. The helpful guy I dealt with said that mud tires are pretty noisy and can be rough on the highway -- especially in the midwest. He said because the midwest is so flat and has higher highway speeds than a lot of states, I really should go with all terrain instead of mud tires. I really like the look of the mud tires, though, and wanted to see if anyone in the midwest has found mud tires problematic on the highways at high speeds. I'd also like to go off-road every now and then. Are they really so noisy or bumpy that I should avoid them?

Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks.

it all depends on what you consider noisy. i am a tire salesman also and we have alot of guys around here that run mud tires all year round. sure they arent going to ride as nice as an all season tire will, but your also getting alot more traction than an all season. as for them having a "bumpy" ride that also depends on what kind of comfort level you perfer. in most cases a good all terrain tire will do everything you want... although some can be just as noisy as a mud tire. really you need to decide what you NEED more and how you drive it. if you drive mostly on paved roads with very infrequent trips off road then i would suggest a mild all terrain, if its half and half then a slightly more aggressive all terrain would probably be better suited, and if you play off road quite a bit then the mud tire is probably for you. also keep in mind that the more aggressive the tire the less mileage you are going to see out of them.

Miki6,
I run 31x10.5x15 Couser C/T on my 01. They are a cross between a a/t and a m/t. Some road noise,but not as bad an m/t. They get good wear as long as you rotate regularly. I got aroud 40,000 miles out of them and I'm going on my second set. Very good in the mud and snow,very touchy in the rain though. Overall a very good tire and resonably priced,even though they are made by Cooper,sold under the Mastercraft name. Just my.02
Mike

Thanks, guys. I got a good deal on some 31x10.5 BF Goodrich A/T's -- they look pretty good and got it up to 85 mph on the Interstate last night and was pretty smooth. I think it is a good combo of looks and comfort and tire life. I appreciate you guys weighing in.