Door Actuator Installation

[miamibob]

Installing a door actuator on a 1987 GM. I glued a nut to the inside of the new bracket (will use a screw to hold the actuator to the door) and need to know - is it easier to install the plastic retainer on the actuator rod before installing the unit into the lock mecanism or install the plastic retainer in the lock and THEN try to put the rod through it and the lock? Many thanks....MB

[hypostang]

Put the plastic retainer on the latch/lock assembly first, then put the rod in.

[86VickyLX]

I've done both, I've also found that aftermarket ones have fatter rods, so it may be difficult to install.

[miamibob]

The actuator and plastic retainer are BOTH OEM Ford parts. Hope that helps......MB

[86VickyLX]

The actuator and plastic retainer are BOTH OEM Ford parts. Hope that helps......MB

Yes lol it does.

[gadget73]

I've had better luck putting the plastic retainer on the lock motor first, then fishing the rod in. Squeezing that lock motor into the bracket once its attatched to the door is sort of a pain in the ass. the only reason I did it on my car was because I didn't think to do it before the door jambs were painted, and I didn't want to drill and re-rivet the lock motor brackets with the fresh paint on there.

[miamibob]

I'm leaning towards "Gadget" on this one as since the tip of the rod has that horizontal/vertical/horizontal" bend to it that may be the easier way to do it! Just getting the retainer on the rod properly seems to be a pain in the ass! MB

[hypostang]

I'm a little confuzzled , are we talking about the rod attaching to the door latch/lock assembly or the actuator motor bracket ?

I like to put the actuator in the bracket, then attach the rod to the latch, then either rivet or bolt the bracket to the door .

[miamibob]

I was talking about attaching the tip of the actuator to the door latch/lock assembly. I got an OEM actuator (from EBAY) and left it intact (didn't remove the motor from the bracket). I simply glued a nut to the inside of the bracket and will put a screw into it from the outside of the door.

[hypostang]

I was talking about attaching the tip of the actuator to the door latch/lock assembly. I got an OEM actuator (from EBAY) and left it intact (didn't remove the motor from the bracket). I simply glued a nut to the inside of the bracket and will put a screw into it from the outside of the door.

Then I stand by my first reply

[gadget73]

well, some of them have the plastic flip-tab retainer thing, others have this Z shaped end on the lock motor that you have to fish in. The flip-tab is cake, that Z shaped nonsense that the earlier cars has kinda sucks.

[miamibob]

The '87 has the "Z" on the end of the rod, hence my original question. So, do we have a consensue?? Bobby

[hypostang]

OK then "Z" changes things a bit ...still put the plastic thing in the latch/lock first then put the rod in. then bolt the bracket to the door

[BerniniCaCO3]

Yup, I'll second (or is that fourth by now?) the above. I put in the plastic retainer first (and you need it! I tried leaving it out, and the net result was that the actuator didn't have enough travel to either fully lock or fully unlock, since it introduced a fair bit of slop there).

I had trouble weaving the old actuators out and the new ones back in, but what makes it 100% easier is to loosen the door latches. They're held with Philips screws, mine were frozen and threatening to strip out, here an impact driver will save your ass if yours are frozen too. It's a #3 philips iirc.

By the way, can you give me the link to the auction/ ebay seller name/ item name/ etc.? I'm looking for some myself! For a 1990 grand marq, if they had the same door electrics as the '87? Anyone know?
I couldn't find ANY and bought chinese ones.
Utter crap, don't have the strength brand new out of the box to move the locks.
And now yet another lock failed on me, so I need 3 or 4 of the things.

[sly]

impact drivers are the epic win! screwdriver that you hit with a hammer and it gives a loosening twist in the process. I would like to have one in my tool collection one of these days.