So I got my power locks installed and wired up and they work fine. I had the left side hooked up first and those were working great, I connect the right side up and when I hit the unlock or lock button the just continuously unlock and lock the doors. I'm thinking the actuators aren't timed right or something. Any of you guys have any idea how to fix this?

 

There are no timing adjusments. Which wires did you connect to the actuators?

 

The blue and green wires from the control box that came with the kit. I ran the wires to the left side and then tapped into those wires for the right side. The left side worked perfectly before I hooked up the right side. I'm guessing the problem is where I tapped into for the right side.

 

It shouldn't matter where you tap them so long as you made sure green to green and blue to blue. Was your system a single unit (keyless entry/lock controller) or is this two separate systems you've tied together? Who makes it manufacture & model number?

 

Its a keyless entry with power lock. It was all one thing. One control box with 2 acutators. Its from Protocol Performance, part number PPLK3B. I might have been stupid and hooked them up wrong, but I thought I double checked that.

 

Is this the system? Click Link

 

Yeah thats the part number on the wiring diagram that came with it but the image doesn't look like what I have. I got the kit off of ebay.

The instructions I have are different than whats on that page tho, but it has the same number. It doesn't have any information about wiring the actuators up tho, just a wiring diagram for the control box.

 

If the system you got in fact has the built in relays then you should be good to go. I'd just go back over the wiring for the blue and green wires you ran to the passengers side making sure you got them right.

 

Yeah it has built in relays. It has to be my wiring, the other one is working fine. I'll just try switching them and see if maybe thats it.

 

Sounds like your actuators aren't timed correctly. You have to center/time the actuators w/ the A1 kit or they will cycle repeatedly when you lock/unlock them. Is your kit a "central locking" system where both doors lock/unlock together? If so, i'd say they just need timed properly. Both actuators need to be in the same place in terms of travel w/ the lock rods. You need to have them 1/2 way in the total travel of the actuator and the lock rods in your truck. In other words, the lock rod (the oem part that was already in your truck) needs to be halfway between lock and unlock~midway of it's total length of travel. So if the rod moves 2 inches total (just as an example), and the actuators total length of travel is 3 inches (again, just as an example), you need to clamp them together when the lock rod is @ 1" of travel (midway), and the actuator rod is @ 1 1/2" of travel. Both of them need to be centered when they are tightened via the clamp. Even though they may have different total lengths of travel, center them both, tighten at that point, and you'll be good. I hope that makes some degree of sense. It's difficult in the Rangers because of where they are mounted. It's hard to see what you are doing and tighten them. Tight squeeze.

 

Thats exactly what the problem is. Crap this is gonna suck now lol. Any other tips on how to get them timed beside what your already said. So I'm supposed to clamp them when they are both 1/2 way up?

 

Yep. You have to have them timed right or you get the symptoms your central locking kit is exhibiting. You need to have the actuators in the middle of their travel, as well as the oem lock rods.

This is from A1's FAQ section on their website:

Q: I've installed and wired up my door locks. Why do my door locks lock and unlock in rapid succession?

A: The central locks usually bounce or ratchet when they are not properly centered. One or both of the actuators in the front doors need to be centered more accurately with the linkage.

In other words, assume the actuator has a travel of about 7/8 inch and the door lock linkage moves 1/2 inch (just a guess). Moving the actuator 7/16 inch brings it to the center of it's travel and moving the linkage 1/4 inch brings it to it's center. Both of these centerlines need to match for the system to work right. If you lined up the actuator and linkage at their end points, the actuator would barely make it to the half way point at the same time that the latch linkage went through its full travel. And the half way point is where the actuators trip a switch to actuate the central locking module. A slight bounce in the linkage and the actuators go the other way again.

The point is the actuators trip after the halfway point, so they then stay locked/unlocked. You just need to center them. If you oem lock rod bottoms out or reaches the end of it's travel one way or the other before the actuators reach the halfway point, you get what you have. Yours isn't an A1 kit but it operates on the same principle.

I know it sucks to have to go back in, especially if you've already reinstalled your door panels, but find a time when you're not in a rush, stay calm and approach it logically, and you'll get it sorted. I made marks w/ a marker or paint pen on each rod at the center point aligned w/ a mark on the sheet metal of the door (or something to that effect~been a couple months ago now...just look at what you need to do and you'll figure a method out), then held them both there, and tightened the clamp. Easier said than done. Mine used allen wrenches, and it was a royal pita to get to, let alone get the wrench in the tiny hex opening by feel. And of course I had to remove the wrench and move it because it would hit the door to where I could just make 360 degree revolutions w/ it until tight. I used some blue loc-tite too, because I did NOT want to go back in there. Make sure they are good and tight. It's just a pain on our trucks because everything is behind sheet metal. Some vehicles it's right there in the open where you can get to and see everything easily.

Let us know if you get it sorted. I hate hanging threads.

 

I'm pretty sure its the right actuator that needs to get timed right since the left one was working fine when the right wasn't hooked up. Taking more door panels off isn't a problem anymore, I've done it atleast 10 times in the last couple days. My clamps are phillip headed screws and line up with a whole in the door so it actually isn't that bad tightening them. I should be able to have it done in 5 minutes.

 

You didn't install them in this position?

http://www.a1electric.com/door_locks2.htm

Also make sure you actuators/rods are installed in a manner so they aren't binding. They should be able to move freely in their travel w/ the oem lock rods. Your passenger side install is either binding or needs centered. Make sure it moves freely in it's complete travel, like the angle doesn't make it bind and cycle in a particular area of travel. The Ranger rod goes at kind of an odd angle near the top, but I don't know for sure where you made the connection w/ the clamp.

 

Oh maybe thats my problem then, I have my acutators mounted in that same place, but my clamp is up near the top. Time to fix that as well, so it would be better if I clamped them at the bottom near the latch.

 

No, mine are above the latch I think. That should be ok. It was hard to get to the location where mine was mounted, that's what made me wonder where yours were. If you look in the 2nd photo in the link I posted of the Ranger install, you'll see it's above the latch. Mine are attached somewhere in between where it shows the two square punchouts in the door. It's just that the Ranger lock rod goes at an angle and it's pretty easy to get the actuator to bind if you don't get it bent right. You have to bend them to match. I had to use a vice because the kit's rods are pretty stout. Just get in there and make sure everything is timed, aligned angle~wise, and not binding or hitting anything inside the door. I bet it won't take much to get it working right.

 

The alignment your talking about would be critical when using the five wire actuators and the central locking feature of the controller to lock or unlock all locks by use of the key or lock *****.

But I think 04blackedge’s actuators are only the two wire type which do not include this feature in the actuator.

The two wire actuator is simply a reversible dc motor with a small gear that drives a toothed rack. There’s no internal switch in the actuator. The power/ground is switched by the relays in the module for a set time, usually 1-3 seconds.

I believe if the rods were not properly adjusted the only outcome would be the door lock not fully locking or unlocking completely.

 

Yeah the actuators are only 2-wire. Even thru the continous cycle, both of the doors lock and unlock fully. I'll check the timing tomorrow and see if thats the problem, hopefully it is.

 

Rev may be right. I only have experience w/ the A1 kit in my truck and another kit I put in a Cavalier. Both needed to be "timed", but I can't recall how many wires the actuators had in the system I put in the Chevy. If it's not the actuators out of center, I don't have a clue.

 

Ok now I have no clue whats going on. I remounted the actuators and checked the timing and everything and that's fine. But now the doors will lock and be fine but when you try to unlock them they unlock then cycle continuosly. I disconnected the actuator rod from the door lock rod and then tried unlocking them and it still does the same thing, just keeps on trying to unlock over and over again. This was all with just the left actuator, I have the right actuator disconnected right now. This is strange because the left was working fine yesterday. I now have no clue whats going on and I'm getting fed up with this.

 

It can be very frustrating to have problems after spending hours on an install. That's why I chose to go w/ as good a quality kit as I could find. That 40 or 50 dollars saved don't amount to squat compared to having a reliable, working system, vs. wasted time and a bunch of headaches. I'm not saying your system is junk or inexpensive, I don't know. I researched and found A1's kits to be the most reliable kits that actually work, for a reasonable price.

 

Yeah it was one of the 40 dollars eBay ones. Another member on here has had luck with his tho, I guess it's hit or miss. I should have spent the money on a nice system and saved the hassle. Oh well live and learn.

 

Trent,

Start by reconnecting everything as follows:
1. Push each door actuator in the full down position.
2. Push the lock **** down in the lock position.
3. Connect the relay rod clamp as shown in pic.

4. Unhook the green and blue wires from the control module.
5. Make a set of 16ga jumper wires.
6. Manually cycle the actuators by connecting one of the jumpers to the green wire and the other to the blue wire where it plugged into the module...On the other side of the jumpers, connect one to ground and then momentarily touch the other to power. Reverse the power/ground and try again. This should cycle the actuators on both sides, locking and the un-locking the doors. Do this several times to make sure they are working without binding.

Next, if you can post a copy of the original installation manual or email me a copy I'll check it over and see if theres something else that needs to be done to get the module working.


.

 

Ok I'll try that. I'll take pictures of the instructions and post them up here. From what I can tell the actuators aren't binding on anything, but I'll hook them up to jumpers and see.

 

Glad I found this thread, will be extremely useful for this weekend when I install power locks to the truck. Not a lot of information out there on it so this was helpful.

I will post updates once I'm done. I am doing a progressive locking system where one press on unlock/lock will do the driver side door, then when pressed again within 15 seconds I will have the passenger side unlock/lock. I felt this was a better way than having both always unlock or lock when I am usually the only one driving.

-Nigel