How would YOU make springs/suspension??????
 

What method should I use for making springs/suspension for a car??

If you're looking to model springs, I think I'd do it be extruding a nurbs circle along a curve... Not sure if this is the easiest way though, but I think it should be fairly simple

... modelled suspension or a dynamically animating one?

you could use actual springs on a softbody that then controls the cars suspention, im not sure how smoothly that would work.... but it should ! :D I was reading up on it recently out of luck so if u want any more detail on how ill try my best.

Or mhcannon will help you, which is probably your best option :).

LauriePreist,
I appreciate the vote of confidence, but I'm still learning Maya myself. I'm answering what I can to force me to learn faster.

Stickdude, are you more concerned with the look of the springs or how they actually work?

If you're going for the springs' look, are you looking for actual coiled springs or for shock absorbing struts?

If you're looking for the spring effect, will you animate it yourself or are you wanting physics to solve it?

Well, for now I just wanted the looks, but I figured out a way to do it. I took a circle, detached it on one side, and moved CV's out one more than the other, and went all the way around. Then I Duplicated it and attached them.

i would have just made a nurbs circle, then duplicated it (translate it downwards and roatate it slightly) about 300 times then loft them all together

stickdude,
can you post a reference or render of what you're going for? Now I'm just curious to see how YOU made the springs. :)

Yes mate i was just saying you have a very broad knowledge of maya in many aspects to the level that can help alot of people starting out or trying to expland their skill set.

Physics way of solving...^^
F=Kx
Pe=1/2kx^2

or compile the spring plugin supplied with the devkit and use that to make perfect coils :)

...but my spring looks good... I'll post a screenshot and a render of it when i get home.. ;)