coloradoman said:
ok I think I found the main problem. PSI was at 31 in the tires. I guess the change in elevation and the cold makes my tires softer. I will check how this affects things. Isn't the recommended psi like 36?
Better to be a few over the 36 in Winter. Cold will reduce tire pressures from Summer settings. There is supposed to be a difference in traction, etc. from lower pressures but after YEARS of extensive testing over several cars, I have found any difference to be quite small.
Another thing to consider is sidewall integrity. Sidewalls are designed to limit horizontal motion especially on turns, roundabouts, etc. The higher the pressure, the better the sidewalls do their job. Reducing the body sway of the car goes a long way towards maintaining control of the vehicle.
But sidewalls have nearly no vertical strength. In a properly inflated tire, the air takes care of all that. What this means is running even a short distance on low pressure will affect the integrity of the sidewall which can mean early failure, extra flexing (which means you will not come close to your tire's mileage rating) etc.
There is no real additional danger to more tire pressure (at or below the tire sidewall maximum) but many downsides to lower tire pressures.
Finally; tires lose air all the time. The bead is a pressure fit to the wheel. The higher the pressure, the better the seal. Low tire pressure can cause more seepage meaning low tire pressures are prone to losing pressure faster. This is another reason you want to run high. It simply gives you more time to air up when needed.
I, like nearly everyone here, is perfect example of the human condition. I am lazy. I keep my tires at 44 PSI but right now they are running between 40 to 41 PSI cold. I have been meaning to add a few lbs for about 3 weeks and still haven't gotten around to it.
There is a reason (has nothing to do with the tire pressure debate) that I will get into in much further detail in a week or so.