Pop & Lock - PL8521 install

Edit - you do not need the

$80 PL5500 , Standard Lock

PL5500. The video was for a different part number. Doh! Post #15 has some useful info regarding the install.

In all the posts that I've read and looking through the product literature regarding the Pop & Lock power tailgate lock (

$105 PL8521 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma, Fits Models 2005 to 2015 (PL8521)

PL8521) not once Do I recall seeing it mentioned that you have to install PL5500 first (a replacement for the tailgate handle). I only stumbled upon this after I ordered the PL8521 and watched the install video. Is this common knowledge? I should have put 2 and 2 together but am a bit surprised it isn't highlighted in the product description. In big bold letters. So I either need to pony up more cash ($63), which has been flowing out of my bank account in a torrent lately, or send back the power lock. I'm just a little bummed right now...

 

I installed the

$105 PL8521 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma, Fits Models 2005 to 2015 (PL8521)

PL8521 with the original tailgate handle. Works fine. You should not have to buy any additional parts with it. I installed it on a 2015 Tacoma..

 

The pic below is a screen shot from the

$105 PL8521 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma, Fits Models 2005 to 2015 (PL8521)

PL8521 installation video on their website. I used more Google Fu but could not find a good answer, so I called P&L. They told me the PL8521 does not need

$80 PL5500 , Standard Lock

PL5500 to be installed, despite what their video says. She was surprised by the statement in the video and was going to look into it.

Edit - Good grief. The video on their website is for

$120 PL8525 Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma (Power Lock Add-on Kit)

PL8525, which is an add-on kit, not the PL8521. Is it too early for a drink?

 

It's all good! You're right, it is time for a drink, maybe more than one...

 

Everything is always better after 5 drinks.

 

IMHO,

$94 PL5400 Black Manual Tailgate Lock with Bolt Codeable Technology for Toyota Tacoma

PL5400 is the way to Go

 

X2. Mines went from an 08 to a 15. Still works.

 

Nah, the

$200 PL8540 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Smart Lock Combo with Bolt Technology for Toyota Tacoma, Fits 2005 to 2015 Models (OEM Color Black, PL8540)

PL8540 is the way to go, electric and keyed in one package with a nice bracket for the solenoid. Really happy with mine.

 

+1 for the

$200 PL8540 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Smart Lock Combo with Bolt Technology for Toyota Tacoma, Fits 2005 to 2015 Models (OEM Color Black, PL8540)

PL8540. The OEM color-match looks really clean.

 

Got a link?

 

I went black as I have a base model and I'm not paining door handles and flares.

Black:

$200 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Smart Lock Combo with Bolt Technology for Toyota Tacoma, Fits 2005 to 2015 Models (OEM Color Black, PL8540)

http://www.amazon.com/Pop-Lock-PL85...ie=UTF8&qid=1439044410&sr=8-1&keywords=pl8540

Colors:
http://www.popandlock.net/power-tailgate-lock/toyota-power/toyota-power-tacoma-oem-colors

 

Man, these look nice. Added to ever growing list. Thanks!!

 

sub'd

 

Well the tonneau arrived yesterday and the

$105 PL8521 Pop & Lock – Power Tailgate Lock for Toyota Tacoma, Fits Models 2005 to 2015 (PL8521)

PL8521 arrives tomorrow (Sunday. US Postal delivery on Sunday? Amazon Prime...). I was planning on installing the tonneau today but some friends just invited me to play golf. Sooooo.....

If I can't get to it this afternoon I'll do it Sunday. I'm going to be smoking a brisket so I'll have time while I'm baby sitting that.

 

Well I installed the P&L remote lock today and it went relatively smooth. It took a little longer than anticipated, mainly for 2 reasons - I wrapped all the wire in protective loom (which took awhile) and I took my time running the wire under the truck, following another wire bundle along the frame rail. The hardest part was getting it over/around the area of the gas tank. I zip tied it every 8 inches or so. It's not moving.

So they supply wiring and connectors and it goes like this: two short wires (about 6 inches) come out if the lock mechanism and have male bullet connectors on their ends. Then there is a section of wire 2-3ft long with the female bullets on one end and a water tight connector on the other. This runs from the lock, through the tailgate and under the truck. Lastly there is the very long wire that you connect in the cab using scotch-lock type connectors while the other end connects to the water tight connector on that 2-3ft wire under the back end.

The issues I had with this are the connectors on the wires were too big to fit through the existing tailgate drain holes, so you would have to drill a bigger hole (as in the video link below) and there is a lot of extra wire - approx 3 feet - from the cab to tailgate run. I didn't want to roll all this up under the truck and since it came pre-wired with a water proof connector it didn't lend itself to being cut off and shortened (for some reason I started in the cab and wired back to the gate. If you start at the gate and work to the cab then you could cut off the excess in the cab before you use the scotch-locks...).

Anyway, I didn't want to drill a hole in my gate and I had extra length on the wires from the cab, so I discarded the middle 3ft wire, cut the waterproof connector off the cab wires and ran that up through the existing drain hole to the lock. Then I used crimped butt connectors with marine grade heat shrink, wrapped in loom then electrical tape. One connection instead of 2 and no drilling.

Everything works like it should and I can now lock down the bed with this lock and the Fold-A-Cover tonneau!

Three things of note:

1) someone at Pop and Lock has been paying attention to their customers. The lock now comes with a black plastic "sponge" zip tied to it to prevent the rattling against the tailgate issue. So props to them for listening!
2) I was not aware that the taco will automatically lock all the unlocked doors after 30 seconds. I was standing there at the tailgate with the lock temporarily wired in, just thinking about what I was going to do next when suddenly the lock triggered shut. Scared the crap out of me! I was like, WTF?! I unlocked everything and was looking at my connections when it did it again. I really thought I bunged something up, maybe crossed wires or tapped the wrong one. Then I timed the duration from unlock to auto lock and it was exactly 30 seconds, so I did a quick internet search and found this is what it does. Oh well.
3) In the video they recommend you use a lock washer when attaching the mechanism so it doesn't work loose. They don't include one so pick one up if you don't have any laying around.

Anyway, this is a decent video I watched on installing the lock:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=xK0Cu6KBEfM

And a few pictures:

The video instructs you to run the wire into the engine compartment, through the firewall then back to the drivers B pillar. That's not necessary and invloves removing more interior trim pieces. Instead look for the grommet under the drivers seat. It's wrapped in tape so undo that. Tape the lock wires to a phillips head screw driver, rub some dishwasher detergent on it (lube) and slide it through. Tape it back up after.


Here is the wire on the other side of that grommet...


And the heat shrink butt connection from the long cab run wires. The only connection and it's located in the dryer, more protected tailgate.


After heat shrinking butt connectors I put them in the loom and zip tied it to the support bar. Eveything secured and tidy!

 

Does anyone know the wire colors for 2014 tacoma passenger side? Thanks in advance

 

On my 2011 I did green to blue/pink and blue to blue/black. Hope it helps though I'm not 100% sure if 14 is the same or not.

 

Thanks got it working