DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS..

THC420 · Mar 10, 2004

does anyone have a diagram as to where i install the top hook piece of the door lock actuator into? i just picked up some new OE actuators from 50 resto, but cannot for the life of me figure out where that thing hooks into..

any help would be greatly appreciated.. thanx

jrichker · Mar 10, 2004

It's a littl late to save you some $$$, but maybe the pictures will help...

Follow this link to fix your door lock actuator problems http://jrichker.stangnet.com/Mustang_tech/door_actuator_fix/1_of_8_door_actuator.htm

Stuck with door lock actuators that don't work and don't want to pay the $50+ for a new one? Tried the junkyard ones and found that they last six months and freeze up?

A new actuator for less than $4. Fix one side for $17, do both sides for only $23. I don't sell parts, I don’t make any money off of the upgrade, I just tell you how to do it cheaply and easily.

Highbredcloud · Mar 10, 2004

jrichker: hmm...how hard is that to do? it does sound tempting to try...

HISSIN50 · Mar 11, 2004

i will let Jrichker speak for himself, but i will add what i can.
Highbredcloud, i did his retrofit. piece of cake. i am very glad i did it. i will do it on the other door when it poops out. very nice write up. cant ask for much more detail than what is offered. his design will long outlast the car. LOL.

THC, the actuator hooks into the lock linkage assembly. Duh. i am too lazy to look at the write up (dial up), but i think he covers it. if not, move the manual lock (on top of the door panel) and see if the linkage moves. it goes into the moving part. there is a hole near the bottom of the assembly. or take the other door's panel off and check it out. as i said, Jrichker's pics were great and i think he has a pic of it. i mentioned that just in case. good luck.

RacinChris · Mar 17, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
i will let Jrichker speak for himself, but i will add what i can.
Highbredcloud, i did his retrofit. piece of cake. i am very glad i did it. i will do it on the other door when it poops out. very nice write up. cant ask for much more detail than what is offered. his design will long outlast the car. LOL.

THC, the actuator hooks into the lock linkage assembly. Duh. i am too lazy to look at the write up (dial up), but i think he covers it. if not, move the manual lock (on top of the door panel) and see if the linkage moves. it goes into the moving part. there is a hole near the bottom of the assembly. or take the other door's panel off and check it out. as i said, Jrichker's pics were great and i think he has a pic of it. i mentioned that just in case. good luck.

I can't move the manual lock on either of my doors. And the passenger door's manual lock is stuck in the lock position now, so I can't open the door at all. This is not good. Will replacing the actuators fix my problem, or is there something more wrong? And how am I going to get the passenger door open?

K.C.90gt · Mar 17, 2004

RacinChris said:
I can't move the manual lock on either of my doors. And the passenger door's manual lock is stuck in the lock position now, so I can't open the door at all. This is not good. Will replacing the actuators fix my problem, or is there something more wrong? And how am I going to get the passenger door open?

when you say manual locks do you mean you dont have a lock/unlock button for power locks? because if you have actuators then they are power locks. Anyway if you do have power locks then I can offer some help.
This happened on my 93 ford tempo, it uses the same door lock actuators. My door would not lock, it was stuck in the unlock position and with the key or pushing on it it wouldnt budge, All I did was take off the door panel and remove the actuator, it was all bent and wouldn't move so thats why. Remove your actuator and it should lock/unlock freely.

shallto · Mar 17, 2004

I did that retrofit. I did it a little different though. I sniped off the ends of the original actuatos as far down as I could. Then I drilled a hole in the top of the new one. I then slid the old tip into new actuator. The old actuator tip has a groove that is perfect for a c-clip so thats what I used. I then took a pair of pliers and flattened the new actuator connectors and they slid into the connectors perfectly. I used the screws that came with the actuators to secure them in the rubber gramet that held the old one. Its a lot easier than it sounds.

RacinChris · Mar 17, 2004

K.C.90gt said:
when you say manual locks do you mean you dont have a lock/unlock button for power locks? because if you have actuators then they are power locks. Anyway if you do have power locks then I can offer some help.
This happened on my 93 ford tempo, it uses the same door lock actuators. My door would not lock, it was stuck in the unlock position and with the key or pushing on it it wouldnt budge, All I did was take off the door panel and remove the actuator, it was all bent and wouldn't move so thats why. Remove your actuator and it should lock/unlock freely.

I do have lock/unlock buttons for the power locks, but pressing them does nothing of course. Cool, that's good to hear that removing the actuators fixed the problem. And while the door panel is off anyways, I might as well try jrichker's door actuator retrofit. Will I be able to remove the passenger door panel and remove the actuator with the door stuck closed?

K.C.90gt · Mar 17, 2004

RacinChris said:
I do have lock/unlock buttons for the power locks, but pressing them does nothing of course. Cool, that's good to hear that removing the actuators fixed the problem. And while the door panel is off anyways, I might as well try jrichker's door actuator retrofit. Will I be able to remove the passenger door panel and remove the actuator with the door stuck closed?

yea, you should be able to remove the panel with the door closed. my lock button didn't work at one point and I took the cover off of the lock buttons and sprayed some wd-40 underneath the button by the trigger and worked it back and forth and it cleaned the contacts and started working, so maybe u could try that too. Just for the heck of it, did you ever try pulling on the door handle to see if it opens then? because my passenger side door lock is screwed up too and the only way I can open it is to pull the door handle, pulling up on the lock knob doesnt work.

RacinChris · Mar 17, 2004

K.C.90gt said:
yea, you should be able to remove the panel with the door closed. my lock button didn't work at one point and I took the cover off of the lock buttons and sprayed some wd-40 underneath the button by the trigger and worked it back and forth and it cleaned the contacts and started working, so maybe u could try that too. Just for the heck of it, did you ever try pulling on the door handle to see if it opens then? because my passenger side door lock is screwed up too and the only way I can open it is to pull the door handle, pulling up on the lock knob doesnt work.

Yeah, I've tried pulling the door handle... it feels like it'll break off before it ever opens the door, lol. That wouldn't be good, either. As for cleaning the lock buttons with wd-40, is that even a possibility with my locks not being able to move? It seems as if the actuators are bent, like they were in your Ford Tempo, and that's why they won't move.

K.C.90gt · Mar 17, 2004

well if the button works on the drivers door or if you hear it activating the actuators than no it wont do nothing because the button works, I didn't know if your button works or not but I was just giving some more possibilities of what it could be. But more than likely its a frozen actuator if you can't move it.

SCORPION · Mar 17, 2004

can someone send me the text....i can't get the page up.

RacinChris · Mar 17, 2004

K.C.90gt said:
well if the button works on the drivers door or if you hear it activating the actuators than no it wont do nothing because the button works, I didn't know if your button works or not but I was just giving some more possibilities of what it could be. But more than likely its a frozen actuator if you can't move it.

I'm not sure if the button works or not, either. A guy at Pep Boys told me to check the fuse box, and I checked it for a possible fuse that might control the locks, but didn't see one. Should it be making a sound when I press the button, even if both actuators are frozen?

K.C.90gt · Mar 17, 2004

RacinChris said:
I'm not sure if the button works or not, either. A guy at Pep Boys told me to check the fuse box, and I checked it for a possible fuse that might control the locks, but didn't see one. Should it be making a sound when I press the button, even if both actuators are frozen?

When you push the unlock or lock button it should make some sort of noise if the button is working correctly. Either way you still should be able to unlock the door with the key or pulling on the inside door handle. If the button doesn't work than it could be dirty contacts or a fuse or a wiring problem.

RacinChris · Mar 17, 2004

K.C.90gt said:
When you push the unlock or lock button it should make some sort of noise if the button is working correctly. Either way you still should be able to unlock the door with the key or pulling on the inside door handle. If the button doesn't work than it could be dirty contacts or a fuse or a wiring problem.

Oh ok, then I have more problems than I originally thought. Well, I'll double check, but I'm pretty sure that it doesn't make any noise when I press the button.

91notch5.0 · Mar 17, 2004

GET THE UPGRADE!!!!!

i have them and it is a completely different design and workes great DO IT.

now we just need some good door handles....

HISSIN50 · Mar 18, 2004

i did not read all the new posts, so if i duplicate something, i apologize. if your locks wont lock or unlock when you try to move the manual knob on the door, then the actuators are frozen. you may have other electrical issues, but the actuators seem frozen.

the linkage on the knob goes to the lock but via a different means than the actuator. if you can cut the rod on the actuator, the manual lock should work. a pair of wire cutters work if you have a little strength. the actuator is frozen, which freezes the linkage and whole lock mechanism (slides up and down), so the knob does not work.

this is all what i recall and what seems logical, but i have not had to do it, so dont yell at me if i am wrong (have not had a frozen actuator). sounds good to me, though. LOL.

RacinChris · Mar 18, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
i did not read all the new posts, so if i duplicate something, i apologize. if your locks wont lock or unlock when you try to move the manual knob on the door, then the actuators are frozen. you may have other electrical issues, but the actuators seem frozen.

the linkage on the knob goes to the lock but via a different means than the actuator. if you can cut the rod on the actuator, the manual lock should work. a pair of wire cutters work if you have a little strength. the actuator is frozen, which freezes the linkage and whole lock mechanism (slides up and down), so the knob does not work.

this is all what i recall and what seems logical, but i have not had to do it, so dont yell at me if i am wrong (have not had a frozen actuator). sounds good to me, though. LOL.

Cool, thanks for the info, that helps out a ton. I guess I better order those actuators soon, and buy any other parts I'll need.

HISSIN50 · Mar 18, 2004

you should be able to cut the little rods on the actuator (where they leave the actuator body) and use the locks manually.
other parts you will need (other than what Jrichker lists for the actual retrofit): new door clips (secure the inner door panel). i dont order them. i am tired of them not working more than a few times, so i use a few small sheet metal screws (use small headed ones and paint the heads, and stick them in the carpeted part of the inner door panel and no one sees them). just what i do.

there are some kits that include the door clips if you order 2 ford style actuators. i would do Jrichker's retrofit instead. not nearly as hard as the write up sounds. good luck. i am sure you will be happy with it (and future 4 dollar replacements if needed).

blk92stangg · Mar 18, 2004

I found good substitute panel clips from the local hardware store for fiddy-cents apiece. Its made from a white plastic that seems more robust than the stock ones, but we will see if they last any longer than the stock ones.

DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS..

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