How do I remove a power lock motor

[Cyclepsycho]

It looks like I need to replace the power lock actuator/motor on the rear driver's side door (96 XLT). How does that sucker come off of there? There's a strange looking black screw type thing on the outside of the door and I can get it to turn with a pair of pliers, but it just turns. How do I get that lock motor out so I can replace it?

Thanks.....

 

[Opera House]

My rivet on the front door snapped

So I assume you have to drill it out. I seem to remember the motor snapped into this frame. Anyway it is near impossible to work on. Buy lots of bandaids.

 

[dogfriend]

I've replaced the passenger side and the rear hatch lock solenoids. You have to drill the rivet out, then replace it with another rivet or a button head capscrew (to have enough clearance between the screw head and the door jamb). It is a 3/16 heavy duty rivet - you cant pull it with a hand rivet gun, you need an air powered one - thats why I substituted a button head capscrew and a nylon locking nut.

There isn't much room to work in there - undoing the electrical connector takes some good visualization skills cause you cant really see it - you have to imagine how it looks

 

[MONMIX]

Originally posted by dogfriend
It is a 3/16 heavy duty rivet - you cant pull it with a hand rivet gun, you need an air powered one -

Acutally a " Big Daddy " ( hand operated ) does the trick. Expensive tool though. Unless you plan on doing a lot of riviting, I would borrow or rent one.

 

[dogfriend]

Originally posted by MONMIX
Acutally a " Big Daddy " ( hand operated ) does the trick. Expensive tool though. Unless you plan on doing a lot of riviting, I would borrow or rent one.

Yeah, I guess I should have said a heavy duty riveter. The normal pop riveters like you can buy at the hardware store usually can't pull a rivet that big. The only ones I found locally were air rivet guns - the cheapest air driven one was about $100.

A #10 or #8 button head capscrew will fit instead.

 

[MONMIX]

Originally posted by dogfriend
The only ones I found locally were air rivet guns - the cheapest air driven one was about $100.

Really ?
do they have mail order ?

 

[dogfriend]

www.harborfreight.com

They have a store about 5 miles from my house.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=1668

They also have a cheaper one

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=167

Ive never been impressed by their quality though.

 

[MONMIX]

Oh yeah you are right.
I'll pass for now.

Though a co-worker has had surprising success with
H.F. stuff.

I dunno. I'll think about it.

 

[Ray Lobato]

My drivers side lock finally died on me so I pulled the door panel off and took a look at the thing. Cutting the rivet off wasn't the hard part. Getting that danm thing (the motor) out was a Major ***** !
I ended up breaking the damn motor by pulling the slide out of it, just to get it unhooked from the locking assembly. This was not a fun project. I have to buy another one.
Does any one know how much these things cost?
I sent an email to Paxton, hoping that maybe he had one for a good price. I don't look forward to putting one back in.

 

[dogfriend]

I think the actuator was about $80 from the dealer. I'll probably buy the next one thru fordpartsnetwork when(if) it dies.

I think it is harder to get out then to get back in, because its easier to visualize how the rod fits in and how the electrical connector plugs in once you have seen it.