Thanks Greybeard

 

Does it have to be this specific power actuator?

I have found another one that looks similar for even cheaper (http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...ht_1521wt_1167) that comes out to $5.42 shipped whereas the "7Ca" one hits $8.40 shipped.

The only possible difference I could think of between them is the plunger throw distance. The 7Ca specs out 22mm movement but the so called "Heavy Duty" model does not specify the total movement. Otherwise, they appear to have the same functionality and components.

 

Here's the seller that I used. $3.94 shipped and it works great.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Unive...-/390334105285

Once you get the actuator, decide how you want to orient the actuator and adjust the position for the movement of the actuator. You are only spending a few bucks on the actuator. If the actuator needs to be replaced after a while, it's not a hardship to replace it. Good Luck.

geo

 

So if your truck is parked on an incline, will the tailgate drop on when it is unlocked? Or does it stay up until you pull it down? Or will it just depend on the grade of the incline?

 

No. It just unlocks not opens. You still have to use the handle to open the tailgate. Just like your doors. You need to open them with the handle even though you unlocked it with the key fob.

geo

 

I cannot find the door lock wires in my 2011 SCAB. spent hours looking for them. im using the edward pace kit. HELP PLEASE

 

has anyone located the wires for 2011 fx4 SCab?



there is not blue/green or grey/brown.

guessing because there is no rear door locks.

spent hours looking for correct wires yesterday.

thanks

 

I'm having trouble finding the correct wires for my power door locks on my 2011 f150 fx4 2 door SCab.

Ive been seaching online and also in my truck for hours.

 

Found wires for door locks on my 2011 Scab. Wires were located on both driver and passenger kick panels.



Blue/green- unlock

Grey/brown-lock



There were two blue/green wires. I would suggest going through the passenger side firewall or rubber plug in the rocker panel. The grommet on the drivers side firewall was hard to run two cables plus sheilding through.

 

Well, my chance finally came to do this mod, even though I had the base components sitting around for at least 6 months. It's certainly more time consuming and involved than the LED Mirror Reflector Mod. Although not really difficult, it's just that the scope of the project and planning the mount and operation of the actuator with the existing lock mechanism took some methodical effort. There have been many suggestions to use some sort of metal stock, such as U-channels or thick sections of solid plate, but none of them are readily available at typical hardware/automotive stores. So I set out with the determination to use the mounting strap that typically comes with the actuator. Since no one has indicated utilizing this strap on a tailgate with a man-step, I had to figure this all out on my own.

So, with this basic plan in place, I plunged into the project and budgeted up to two days for its completion (taking my time, photographing key points, analyzing actuator operation of the lock mechanism).



1x Actuator (eBay = $5.66)
2x Weatherproof Female Bullet Connectors, 16 AWG (usually not included with actuator)
1x Weatherproof 2-pin Connector (Amazon = $7.67)
1x Quick Splice Connectors, 18-16 AWG 3-pack (Radio Shack = $2.36)
4x Heat Shrink Tubing, 1" x 1/4"
3x Heat Shrink Tubing, 2" x 1/2"
2x Zip Ties, 8"
1x Electrical Tape
2x M3x40 Stainless Steel Pan Head Screws
2x M5x16 Stainless Steel Pan Head Screws
2x M3 Stainless Steel Washers
2x M5 Stainless Steel Washers
2x M3 Stainless Steel Nylon Lock Nuts
2x M5 Stainless Steel Nylon Lock Nuts
15' Wire Loom, 3/8" (Amazon = $6.53)
25' Marine Duplex Tinned Cable, 16/2 AWG (GenuineDealz = $10.13)

I basically worked my way front to back by removing the sill plates carefully by hand, passenger-side rear plug and locating the wires to use by grounding a test light to chassis then probing the wires while operating the appropriate remote buttons. Once the correct wires were identified and spliced into (I selected the 2-press unlock, Violet/Grey), I confirmed operation of the actuator. I chose the Radio Shack Quick Splices as they allow easy disconnect in case I wanted to switch to the 1-press unlock wire; since it comes in a 3-pack, all I would need to do is snap the spare Quick Splice onto the Light Blue/Light Green wire then swap the Quick Connect to that splice.

 

Fish taped the cable/loom through the passenger frame (only a few minutes to do with a helping hand), cut a slit in the rubber plug, dabbed a little hand soap to ease the cable through and routed the cable within the sill channel to finish up the interior wiring. Getting the rubber plug back into the hole with the cable sticking through it in the tight confines took some finagling...




Behind the bumper, I dropped the spare for easier access to transition the cable/loom from the frame to the tailgate and install the weatherproof 2-pin connector. I then snaked the separate tailgate cable in through the passenger-side holes near the tailgate hinge (if you want to maintain removability of the harness with the tailgate, there is just not enough room to run it through the center holes parallel with a factory backup camera harness because the factory disconnect plug barely squeezes out of the hole with absolutely no space around it). Satisfied with the undercarriage work, I stowed the spare wheel.



I'm glad I dropped the spare because I found out that somehow the prongs on the lock covering the winch access hole were bent and required a large plier to squeeze them back into shape in order to remove the lock; I didn't have a large enough pliers in my on-board tool bag.

 

Turning all my attention to the tailgate, I first started with modifying the included clamp by widening the arm with the two screws in order for it to fit onto the black plastic latch guide. A large screwdriver and some oomph did the job on the surprisingly soft metal. Now, tightening the little screws was a bit tricky and requires a very short screwdriver and a little patience.



After carefully measuring the latch guide's location I determined that I would need to offset the actuator approximately 3/4" from the tailgate panel. I carefully bent the mounting strap in a vise to form a lazy Z shape and attached it to the actuator. I used metric screws since most, if not all, fasteners on the truck are now metric.



I then used a C-clamp to temporarily hold the actuator assembly in its projected location and modified the operating rod into an L-shape, with a small leg to ensure it stays in the actuator eyelet. I tested full operation to ensure everything worked properly before marking and drilling mounting holes into the tailgate panel. I wrapped the cable once around the right step arm stowage tube to provide strain relief.



Satisified everything was perfect, I permanently assembled everything and used electrical tape to ensure the bullet connections stay secured through the countless shocks of opening/closing the tailgate. Buttoned everything up and Finiti!



I was truly concerned about the reported loudness of the actuators' operation and someone mentioned that it could be due to the fact that the actuator throw is longer than the movement of the latch guide. I measured the full movement of the plastic guide at the point of the clamp to be approximately 5/8", then measured the full throw of the actuator when electrically operated and discovered it was also approximately 5/8" total. Since the operating rod would extend from the latch guide, there should be enough leeway to not bind the actuator at either end of its throw so as not to cause loud thuds.

And indeed, I was relieved when the noise of its operation was actually lower than the door actuators; you couldn't hear it at all while inside the cab, and it was barely noticeable while standing next to the tailgate (you could definitely hear the door actuators while at the tailgate).

All told, it took me two partial days to complete, at a leisurely pace and having to stop by the hardware store to pick up some screws/nuts to mount the actuator. This "inverted" method should actually work for "plain" tailgates (without the man-step) as well.

Good luck to those about to embark on this project, and many thanks to all those that preceded us and conveyed their experiences which helped tremendously to make my own project successful!

 

Great write up Augster. I've had all the parts sitting on my work bench for over a month now. It's warm out and I should get this done soon. The hang up has been the man step pole. I don't want it nor need it. Planning on ordering a new tailgate cover panel and liner for the tailgate to get rid of it. Figure might as well do it all at the same time.

 

Sounds like a plan, tho I think you may need to have the cover painted to match so budget time and money for that.

Taking off the plastic liner and stripper pole is rather easy. The pole is held in place by just one large bolt; a T-40 bit and some grunt takes that off (its Loctited from the factory). The liner has 8 T-30 bolts keeping it in place. So you could easily do the keyless mod, then quickly slap just the liner back on until you have your new cover painted and ready to install.

 

Since the panel will be covered with a drop in liner I just planned to rattle can it.