Power Door Locks Sticking
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 560
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From: Camino CA
Power Door Locks Sticking
I replaced the power lock actuators on my 81 about 2-3 years ago; everything was working fine up until a few months ago. The actuators would move the lock, but not enough to lock or unlock it, and it was extremely difficult to lock or unlock them manually.
So yesterday I took the doors apart, cleaned and lubed the all the moving parts. I found that with the actuators disconnected it is very easy to manually lock and unlock the doors, but once I connect them it becomes difficult to do it manually. But they do lock and unlock very easily with the electric switch now.
Any ideas why it's so difficult to move them manually with the actuators connected?
So yesterday I took the doors apart, cleaned and lubed the all the moving parts. I found that with the actuators disconnected it is very easy to manually lock and unlock the doors, but once I connect them it becomes difficult to do it manually. But they do lock and unlock very easily with the electric switch now.
Any ideas why it's so difficult to move them manually with the actuators connected?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: Camino CA
The passenger side is harder to do, but they are both acting pretty much the same. It seems stange though, because the actuators are working fine, and when I had the door open with everything hooked up I could manually move the shaft on the actuator and it was easy to do. It's just hard to move the **** and turn the key.
Since the little metal rod from the actuator to the lever mechanism has an oval hole that it goes into I think it could be binding on that, but I'm not sure.
Since the little metal rod from the actuator to the lever mechanism has an oval hole that it goes into I think it could be binding on that, but I'm not sure.
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 24,125
Likes: 15
From: Columbia Missouri
That was my next thought too. Thoroughly check all linkages for binding. Something may have bent a little out of shape over the years.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 560
Likes: 0
From: Camino CA
The 78-82 stuff is a totally different setup, and I don't think they had power locks until 78, so I think the aftermarket setup is the only way you can do it.
Last edited by Ben Taylor; Feb 3, 2007 at 02:29 PM.
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