For a few years now my driver's side rear door actuator wouldn't unlock at all. It'd always lock without issue, but unlocking was a no-go. A few months ago my passenger side actuator failed completely, so since I had the day off today, I figured I would finally tackle fixing those using a set of universal actuators that I had sitting in the garage for a while.
These are the actuators I had ordered from Amazon: Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N57OC68/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This was relatively simple brain-wise, but pretty time consuming due to frequent test fits and tweaks required to get it just right. Fortunately I was able to figure out one door and easily duplicate it in about a tenth the time for the other door.
First, the latch & power lock assembly removed from my rear driver's side door. The dark gray paint-looking stuff is Slip Plate I had sprayed it with years ago. Stuff works pretty damn good in applications like this.
First things first was to figure out how exactly I would mount the new actuator. I briefly considered attempting to use the bracketry that came in the kit, but almost immediately 86'd that idea. Instead, I decided to use some scrap 16 gauge stainless sheet that I had been hanging onto for more than ten years (yay I finally found a use for it). I made a quick and dirty template out of cardboard and after a few adjustments traced, punched, drilled and cut my first bracket from the sheet. Fit was perfect.
Quick test fit of the actuator to make sure the mounting holes and its direction of travel were aligned right and it was good to go.
After securing terminals to the wires and installing them into the connector (I verified which leads were correct as far as lock/unlock function beforehand), I was on to finding the right bends to put in the rod that came with the kit. The kit comes with four actuators and four hardware kits. This part and dialing in the dimensions for the brackets were the most time consuming, due to constant test fits, several installs in the door to make sure everything fit, marking, bending, cutting, getting more beer, etc. I eventually got it just right, allowing the actuator rod to easily clear the door latch rod and remain securely installed in the assembly. Though these rods are smaller around than the rod used by the factory actuator, I was able to bend it just right so that it will NOT come undone from the pivot unless purposefully removed by hand. Notice that the plastic bushing is swapped to the other side of the pivot for this conversion.
Yeah, this was an aggravatingly long process for such a simple part.
These are the actuators I had ordered from Amazon: Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00N57OC68/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
This was relatively simple brain-wise, but pretty time consuming due to frequent test fits and tweaks required to get it just right. Fortunately I was able to figure out one door and easily duplicate it in about a tenth the time for the other door.
First, the latch & power lock assembly removed from my rear driver's side door. The dark gray paint-looking stuff is Slip Plate I had sprayed it with years ago. Stuff works pretty damn good in applications like this.
First things first was to figure out how exactly I would mount the new actuator. I briefly considered attempting to use the bracketry that came in the kit, but almost immediately 86'd that idea. Instead, I decided to use some scrap 16 gauge stainless sheet that I had been hanging onto for more than ten years (yay I finally found a use for it). I made a quick and dirty template out of cardboard and after a few adjustments traced, punched, drilled and cut my first bracket from the sheet. Fit was perfect.
Quick test fit of the actuator to make sure the mounting holes and its direction of travel were aligned right and it was good to go.
After securing terminals to the wires and installing them into the connector (I verified which leads were correct as far as lock/unlock function beforehand), I was on to finding the right bends to put in the rod that came with the kit. The kit comes with four actuators and four hardware kits. This part and dialing in the dimensions for the brackets were the most time consuming, due to constant test fits, several installs in the door to make sure everything fit, marking, bending, cutting, getting more beer, etc. I eventually got it just right, allowing the actuator rod to easily clear the door latch rod and remain securely installed in the assembly. Though these rods are smaller around than the rod used by the factory actuator, I was able to bend it just right so that it will NOT come undone from the pivot unless purposefully removed by hand. Notice that the plastic bushing is swapped to the other side of the pivot for this conversion.
Yeah, this was an aggravatingly long process for such a simple part.
