Fischer88

Following the information I got from this forum I decided I wanted a power lock on the tailgate. But being frugile as I am I didn't want to spend the money on a kit. I looked up a couple of threads on here and figured I could do it myself easily. So I bought a universal actuator from eBay for $7, and I already had everything else I needed. Here are a few pictures to show how I installed it. I took my time doing this so it probably took about 2 hours, but I was watching the time. Due to the tailgate step, the actuator is at a less than optimal angle, but still works no problem. I used zip ties to hold the rod to the lock mechanism b/c I couldn't get anything else in there. The gold bracket holding the actuator and the bar it's attached to came with it. The manufactured kits say to drill a hole in the doorsill, but in the rear driverside passenger doorsill is a plug that can be cut open to form a gromet, I then ran the wires to the front doorsill.

canoeist55

Good job. I did the cheap way also. Amazon has 2 actuators for 6.99 right now, I may order a spare one.

Fischer88

Thanks. I really like it. Although tomorrow I'm going to hook it up to the passenger door locks instead of the driver door lock.

Tothemax

Why switching?

RLXXI

If I had to guess, I would say because he has his locks on the two step cycle, one press of the fob opens the drivers door, 2 presses and it opens all the other doors.


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Tothemax

ahh. Gotcha.

Im looking at actuators now. Basic model vs a heavy duty model. Im thinking I should pay a few dollars more for the HD.

Fischer88

I was going to switch the wires, but I think I'll just switch to one step unlocking. Better to do that then to have to get back into the harness I think.

RLXXI

I may put one on my truck, still have other parts waiting to go on. Only problem with not changing the wires is every time you unlock the doors, the t gait pops open, so if your ok with having to close it every time you unlock then ok, seems to me like one extra step that might get annoying after a while.
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Fischer88

It doesn't open it, it only unlocks it. I never leave my vehicles unlocked so it isn't a bother to me.

RLXXI

Ahh ic, I thought you had it set up to pop open like many others have. Which would be the way I would hook mine up, plenty of times heading back to the truck with arms full of what ever that needed to go in the back and had to be set down to open the gate.
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