Keyless entry kit install.

Hey group,
Has anybody installed a keyless entry kit in your Taco?
I picked up a kit at Summit Racing, in the "open box" isle.
I was tossing around the idea of either putting it in the ol' C10 or the Taco.
After reading the instructions, I have to tap into the: horn, marker lights, dome light, ignition switch and whatever else. Kinda surprised it's that involved. I just figured on hooking up a 12V source and a ground and then the mechanics of the solenoid to the lock.
My only reason for doing the Taco was I had quite a bit of trouble with the locks freezing this winter.
And since I was going to be replacing the passenger door this summer, that would be a perfect time to install a keyless kit.
I'm just a tad hesitant to monkey with the ignition circuit.

Anybody put a kit in?

Thanks.

 

Well...that blows...

The kit ain't gonna work in this door.
The engineer of this door latch/lock arrangement must have been charged with making it as complicated as possible.
I can understand some of it to deture "slim jim-ing" the door open, but there must be a different arrangement for the power locks option.
Either way, there is no way to access a rod that will allow a remote actuator to tie into....unless...
... I hack into the plastic sleeve which houses the door lock knob. There is a dog-legged shaped plastic tube running from the lock knob all the way down to the lock mechanism and inside, the knob rod lives. You can actually see the top of the tube if you look closely under the door panel.
So, if I dismantle the door handle/lock assembly, the rod tube can be removed and then hacked. That will expose the rod needed to tie into.
To hack or not to hack, that is the question...

 

After a cup of coffee and a couple oatmeal raisin cookies, the "hack" was on.
There are 4...count them, 4 rods attached to the door catch mechanism. That's just silly.
After all that and an hour later, the rod tube was hacked.
If for some reason, it all just won't work, I have spare parts from the original door to restore everything back to normal.
I will have to fabricate an actuator hanger because the included hanger strap is 3" too short.
No big deal...par for the course...lol.

 

There's a nice little block that ties the actuator into the lock rod.
I had to determine where the actuator was going to be bolted down. Then about 3-1/2" was cut off the supplied actuator rod. Then the block tied the 2 rods together.
As previously mentioned the supplied mounting bar is too short to span the gap, so now I'm going to go make a mounting bar and get the actuator mounted.

 

As part of the door latch mechanism, there is 4 little plastic rod locks. With 3 of them you can "unlock" them and easily remove the rod. With the 4th one, which is the lock rod in that plastic tube, its little plastic clip is not designed to be removed without destroying it.
O.k., no big deal, just call the dealer and get another one...well maybe...
Apparently, the lock rod, plastic tube and door latch mechanisim are all one, factory assembled component. So the blue clip is not available seperate of the assembly.
Say what..? Time to fall back and punt...
So after some careful evaluation it appears the pink colored clip will fit the rod and hole, so 2 were ordered at $9.00 each.
Thanks Yoda...

 

Using a factory hole for one location and making a second fastener location the actuator bar is in place. I will have to cut a notch for the actuator motor in the bar after my part comes in and the latch can be bolted back in.
It's kinda funny...the instructions mention that it usually takes a couple hours to install the kit. Now honestly, I putz around, alot. I take my sweet time. Rushing to get something done usually results in having to do it twice.
So, slow and easy is good enuf...lol

 

Copying the original mounting strap, I slotted the custom mounting bar and cut out a relief for the motor.
Screwed everything down and it was done.
I have not hooked up the electrics yet, but it should work fine...should...