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The Hayames were installed yesterday afternoon, with little to no problems.
I flipped the tie rod and inserted it from the bottom and everything just fell into place. Overall the install was very simple and easily done.

I currently have the front set to a one finger gap with no preload on the springs and the rear set to a two finger gap with no preload. By the looks of things, the coilovers should be able to handle a 3"-4" drop with no problems. But I haven't tested that out yet.

With my current settings and the tie rod inverted, I have noticed that the steering is super sentsitive and the feedback from the road is much more noticable. I'm not sure how much toe the changes in the tie rods made, but I doubt it's be that significant. I'm finding the car likes to wander a bit on the highway. I hope this can be easily fixed after I get an alignment done soon.

In general, I found the ride more confortable than Neuspeed sports with stock struts and definitely handling much much better. Going over bumpy roads is less of a neck breaker and there is definitely no more bounce in the recoil. Taking a few corners at relatively higher speeds evidently show the ability of the Hayames to keep the car planted with less body roll.

With everything set as it is now, I'm totally pleased with ride, handling, and look of the car as a daily driver with some spirited times. But I'll need to play with the settings (preload, height, etc) more to find a better track/auto-x setting.

To sum it all up, the Hayames were a great investment and overall really good bang for the buck.

I'll let you guys know how everything is after I get an alignment or if anything else comes up.



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Questions for other Hayame v2 owners that have them installed:
1. Do you notice the car wanders from side to side?
2. Do you hear a squeaky sound form the rears? It sounds like the rubber bushing on the top moount of the rears are squeaking. This happens only when the rears are being compressed. In a way it also sounds like the valving in the struts loud. Hope you guys understand what I'm describing.

 
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Man I'm excited now! Good job SedanBoy! How long did it take you?

 
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1. Sometimes, I hear squeeks on the rear on bumps.
2. It's very well responsive but I could not compare the inverted vs non-inverted tie-rods since I have never had a springs installed with OEM struts.
3. Yes, it takes corner very well at high speeds. But I'm still skeptical of Hayames product integrity so I may not keep doing a hard-corner until I am convinced that they are comparable with other coilovers such as TEIN.
4. Alignment should eliminate the side to side wandering.
5. I guess I shouldnt be complaining about how soft the ride is since springs plus OEM struts are a neck breaking experience

I dont know if you read my review as have others, that when you pre-load the springs, you're gonna end up raising the height. One inch of pre-load will result to an inch higher. Im not sure if an inch gap and stiffer springs will work well with AutoX or any other spirited driving. Goodluck on that.

 
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it actually went faster than i had expected.
it took me less than 3 hours to get everything on and set.
let me know how the hadling is telly!

 
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yeah, i read your review.
i hope to be able to gain some stiffness with the preload yet still keep my height. i'm planning to add a bit of preload then lower the strut a bit to compensate.

i'm hoping the alignment is just off, so the wandering will be fixed.

have you noticed that the car reacts to every little imperfection in the road?
i've also noticed that the car doesn't return to center as smoothly as it use to. anyone with this feeling?
thanks

 
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Hey SedanBoy, I think your last issue (not returning to center as smoothly as before) is probably something that can be fixed with an alignment.
As for reacting to every little imperfection, my car does that now, LOL.

My friend who is installing with me is a friggin pro, so I imagine this won't take too long at all. Stay posted for the official TeLLy review. Or the TeLLy rant. Depends how mine goes.

 
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Yes, it reacts on every little uneven road surface, so do with my TEIN SS.

my rear collar is at its lowest setting with no pre-load and I have a finger gap. Let us know how your pre-load goes. For now, I wont play with the settings until next weekend.

 
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i just played with the back a bit.
i increases the preload by about 5 threads and lowered the strut by about the same amount. i would say i'm not even halfway down the lower mount yet.
but the results were as i expected.
the car sits a bit lower than before, a tight two finger gap in the back.
i haven't had time to play with the fronts, but i have noticed that the sterring issues are definitely alignment related. with the steering wheel centered, the front wheels are evidently toe-in. never would have thought that turn the tie rod 180 degrees outward on both ends would make such a huge difference. wow!
now i've gotta find time to go get an alignment after the height and preload are to my liking. *sigh* i need to find more time in the day!!!!

 
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the squeeking is coming from the dust boot

 
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hey, thanks vnlilman!
it never occured to me that the dust boot might have been the culprit.
hmm. now i've gotta find a way to kill that squeeking!

 
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i saw something about needing a washer on the strut top (on the front) or something. i'm gonna install mine tomorrow.. anyone know about that? i need pictures or something too. it said the suspension moves freely and rubs.

 
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nothing else was needed for mine when i did the install.
everything fit in place perfectly.
with the exception of the abs sensor line. it needed to be zipped tied to the "mounting plate" on the hayames.

 
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this is what I was talking about. At first I thought I was able to eliminate the the movement when I secured the springs with the top two perch. I went to have my car aligned again today and it still moves a little bit. The alignment shop said there something that goes on top like a washer to properly secure it. They install suspensions to RSX and 7th gen civic and the coil-over comes with a washer or it will move.

Heres what I have observed. Please check your wheels as well.

Right Front Wheel:
1. Position your one hand to 1 o'clock and the other to 7 o'clock
2. Try to wiggle it.

Left Front Wheel:
1. Position your one hand to 11 o'clock and the other to 5 o'clock
2. Try to wiggle it.

It only moves when your hands are at the positions mentioned.

Cocky, if you are able to find out about the washers, please let me know.

Thanks.

 
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I had to zip tie my ABS sensor line too - it was stretched out when i screwed it in, so i said forget it, and just zipped.

My alignment is screwed up rather badly. But the ride is stiff like a ****! 1.5 finger gap in rear, 1.5 in front. The rears will come down more when the sub box is back in.

My friends and i did the install....we forgot to torque on the nuts for the left rear wheel. I drove off going "what's that horrible clunking? oh, dammit, gotta bend the rear disc shield back out...oh ****, that's worse, my car is shaking....oh my god, i better pull over". I pulled over, and there were literally three threads per lug left. I nearly lost a wheel. let this be a lesson to double check your work, especially when you have more than one pair of hands working. Full review after my alignment...

 
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where u getting your alignment telly?
i need to get that done asap.

 
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If you can make it, you should go to Gilman Auto or Defcon. I personally don't trust my baby to take me that far, so I'm booking with Acura Woodbine.

 
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Didn't know defcon do alignment. Anyway it is a good shop!

 
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From underneath:

From outside:

It's already starting to settle...the front has about an inch gap, about the same for the rear.

 
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Did you add any pre-load to the springs?

 
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Quite a bit up front, about 3/4" in the rear.

 
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Can you get some closer pix so we can see the gap (on flat surface?) You seem to have no problem with the v2 (which is good)

 
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hey telly, i'm assuming that pic of the front isn't locked down yet right?
the third collar isn't tightened yet right?
wow, that's a lot of preload!
i have it now with no preload and there's only like 14-16 thread between the second and third collar after it's all locked.

 
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No, not locked down yet - this was taken about halfway through the install on that strut - you can't see it but the tie rod bolt wasn't even tightened yet. I spun the tie rod arm up a HUGE amount, the preload isn't crazy amounts up front - I wanted to keep it a little softer. I do need SOME preload though, so the rear will stay where they are (preload 3/4"). I imagine once I get my sub box back in there it's gonna come down so I may have to lower the front some more afterward. I can't yet say I'm satisfied, cause I haven't really given her a run - alignment is BAAAAD. But as far as bounce and noise - hardly any bounce, and they sure as hell are quieter than my H&R/stock shock combo. No clicks or thumps or bangs or anything (once I torqued down the rear driver's wheel),

 
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Give it a run on hwy401 after your alignment and report back haha. Cuz on my v1 I can feel and hear all the cracks on the road = unpleasant. If this v2 gives better ride I will try it out.

 
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Ha ha, in my H&R's I felt every tiny bump. I swear I felt when I ran over pennies. I don't expect the Hayames to be any less sensitive. In fact, I want them to give me even MORE feedback! I want to feel the difference between 2 and 4-year old pavement! LOL.

 
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geez, hardly bouncing on urs telly? hmm, probably because I have no pre-lod on the rear. But answer this tho. Does the springs moves when you do pre-load? I mean, does it rotate while you turn the pre-load perches?

 
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For me the springs moved when I added pre-load from no preload, once I added about 1/2" of pre-load it would stop moving.

 
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Neither front nor rear move when I turn the preload perches. They're pretty snug up against the rubber, but the rubber doesn't turn with the perch....

Wow, I guess I've been pretty lucky. I'll feel even luckier after my alignment tonight. I know I should wait a little while longer to settle, but this is ridiculous - turning left is an adventure. Haven't had to turn right yet, LOL.

 
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So springs and isolator is stationary while we move the pre-load perch?

how come I cant turn it without turning the isolator with it or it will rip apart [?]

oh my goodness...

 
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Cuz hayame replaced the v2 one with rubber instead of plastic(v1) I guess you can try holding down the springs when you turn the perch to see if that works. Or try to move the springs+rubber to the same direction you turn.....or call SPW and complain haha