$10 DIY Power Lock Tailgate

Is anyone concerned about the actuator pulling on the handle too much?

I didn't see a way to adjust the tension on the actuator. Pretty slick though, thanks again @mesojdm

 

Anything I can do to make it easier for the rest! I can only hope to help the forum as much as Stew has!

Mine pulls pretty tight too. I just decided to roll with it. Someone somewhere might sell an actuator with adjustable throw range, but I don't think mine pulls tight enough to cause issues (guess time will tell)

 

I've had this on for a year + and haven't had any problem with the actuator pulling the handle linkage too hard. I have not seen any adjustable actuators.
The trick is to drill the hole, get the actuator linked up to he handle and then see how far it pulls/pushes. I like to see the max travel, then split the difference in half and mount the actuator there. Too close and it doesn't reach maximum push travel and will have too much pull travel. If that makes sense..

 

Pulled out another actuator to try and show this off better without taking the tailgate apart



Cut the 2x4 to fit the actuator (marked with the black line) then attach the actuator to it.

Mount this to the underside of the tailgates sheet metal (role played by my hand)

This will provide enough spacing to have the actuator sit level to the lock mechanism

 

I bet the wood mount keeps the noise down a bit also.

 

subd

 

Do you have to shave the hair off of the tailgate to get a flush mount to the wood?

 

Yes, that is a very important step!

 

Do I measure the bend for the actuator rod when the actuator is in the neutral position? Or should I push it in for the unlocked position? I put my actuator on a scrap peice of hardwood with some 80mil sound damper and MLV b/c why not.

 

Pull actuator out to max position. Push tailgate lock down to full position.
Measure then bend.

What I would do is bend the rod, mount the actuator to the wood and have it all mocked up and wired. Then(while holding the actuator up in place) hit lock and unlock with the key fob. Then you can move the entire assembly back/forward until it hits the perfect spot of Lock/unlock. Then Bolt it down with screws through the tailgate into the wood.

 

Thanks, got it all installed and works great!

 

That is exactly how I did it and it works great. I predrilled the holes through the sheet metal near the center of where the block would end up and then once everything was positioned, it was easy enough to screw the spacer block down.

 

Does anyone here know (as close as possible) the measurements of the 2x4 needed? Im ordering all the stuff needed this week but i have no lumber so a friend is going to cut me a piece on a job site and want to tell him a size. Thanks in advance all.

 

About a 6 inch piece should be fine. Nothing exact, just big enough to mount the actuator and small enough to fit in between the tailgate frame.

 

perfect. I just didnt want to tell him 4 inches and the block not be wide enough.
thanks

 

so how did people mount the actuator to the block of wood? long screws through the whole thing or take the actuator box apart to screw to wood? Some of the actuators I have looked at only have screw holes on one side and some have all the way through.

 

are these screws even long enough to go all the way through the actuator to screw to a piece of wood?

 

I used some PCB standoffs for the mounting offset. Worked great!

 

20 years from now when the 3rd or 4th owners are fixing up these Tacomas for their kids or their trail rigs, they will take the tailgate apart and wonder why in the world is there a chunk of 2x4 inside the tailgate LOL.

Nice mod. Think I'll give it a shot.

 

And that’s why I used a 2x4

It will still be there 20 years from now