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23:47:31 - 04/18/2024
General Dakota Board
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wombatSXT
Dodge Dakota
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4/22/2004
23:20:25
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 Subject: aftermarket power door locks
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Message:
Hello all,
I had a question about upgrading my manual locks to power locks, and thought maybe someone who has had some experience in this kind of project might be able to help me out...
I've been looking into aftermarket central locking kits(SPAL, Commando, and MES mostly). I am not too concerned with making it look oem, or adding switches...Just looking into the central locking with keyless entry..
My main concern, though, is how difficult it might be to mount the actuators in the doors..Something tells me that its not so easy to mount the actuators in the doors, or thats its not so easy to line up the actuator rod with the factory manual lock rods(bending the actuator rod to fit, making sure its perfectly lined up, etc.)... If anyone has done this, I would greatly appreciate any feedback or suggestions...Is it tough to bend those rods? Is it important to get the bends exact, and at exact angles? Has anyone ever experienced the linkage falling off after installation and use?
Also, one other small side question I have is about combining seperate kits...If I buy two seperate kits, one being a keyless entry kit, and the other being the 5-wire actuator kit, will they synch up together and work? Or is it better to just buy the two kits as one? I ask this bc there seems to be a very small selection of these two kits as one kit..
Again, thanks in advance to anyone who might have some advice in this project...I want to make sure I know what im doing before I go taking my doors apart:)
wombat
2002 dak club cab SXT(should have gone with quad)
manual everything
love my truck
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Vic
Dodge Dakota
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4/22/2004
23:39:31
|  RE: aftermarket power door locks
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Message:
Am thinking about doing the same thing. J C Whitney has kits with instructions for doing this. Go to www.jcw.com
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another mark
Dodge Dakota
JOIN HERE
4/23/2004
00:03:34
| RE: aftermarket power door locks
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Message:
I may be able to shed some light on the subject for you. I must say up front I have a keyless entry alarm system that me and my electrician friend installed. I do not have any kind of power lock control on the door panel though as I wasn't interested in this. My truck has manual locks and I really wanted remote controlled entry and a decent alarm. I'll just post comments after excerpts from your post.
"how difficult it might be to mount the actuators in the doors"
It's easy. I don't have pictures of my alarm install but there is a place to mount the actuators correctly and securely. Once you take off the door panel you'll see where it needs to go.
"its not so easy to line up the actuator rod with the factory manual lock rods(bending the actuator rod to fit, making sure its perfectly lined up, etc.)"
There is no bending of any rods if I remember correctly. The actuator kit I got came with long rods and clamps you use to attach to the factory rods. In fact it's critical to mock up where the actuator goes if you want so that you see how far the rod travels up and down when the actuator gets power so you know how high up on the door to mount the unit.
"Has anyone ever experienced the linkage falling off after installation and use?"
Mine have been in 5 years and nothing has failed.
My truck is a daily driver.
"If I buy two seperate kits, one being a keyless entry kit, and the other being the 5-wire actuator kit, will they synch up together and work? Or is it better to just buy the two kits as one? I ask this bc there seems to be a very small selection of these two kits as one kit"
It might be a slightly easier install or at least more clear if it was all in one kit. But buying separate kits (which I did) and merging them will work. It's all in the relays you wire up. I got my actuator kits from Circuit City and my Clifford elsewhere.
Hope that helps.
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