Rear Door Lock Actuator Replacement

[tardboy21]

I have seen some other threads on this in the forums, but couldn't find quite what I was looking for.
One of my rear door lock actuators seems to spin freely, and doesn't lock or unlock the door. I am looking to remove the actuator, but I am unsure how it is connected inside the door besides electrical wires. I removed the interior door panel and I felt around and it feels like it is riveted into the door. I wanted to know what is involved in removing the actuator? Anybody have any insight on replacing the actual actuator?

 

[tardboy21]

ok,so after messing around with it a little more, pulling straight up on the actuator pops it out of its clamp, and I was able to pry off the metal push rod to I could get out the mechanism. However, how does the push rod come out? It feels like it should pop out by pressing down where the rod connects to the locking mechanism near the rear of the door, but I couldn't get it. Any words of wisdom from someone who's been here before?

 

[Storm-Chaser]

To answer your first question about how the actuator is mounted. It is riveted to the inner door-skin. If you look in the door-jam below the door latch, you will see a black nickle-sized rivet head - that's the one holding the bracket inside the door.

While you can pry it from the bracket as you did, it has been my experience that the doing so may "spring" the bracket so that the replacement is not held firmly in place.


In reference to separating the actuator from the door latch. Remove the three phillips screws that hold the door latch in the door. The actuator rod is shaped like a squared question-mark, that loops through a lever in the door latch mechanism. Removing the latch will give you the necessary working-room to move the actuator around so the actuator rod can be pulled out of the latch-lever.