Door lock actuator, dont buy a new one
#21
05-04-2013, 05:33 PM
4wd Low
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: Phoenix AZ - USA
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Hi, two of my door actuators are not doing what they are designed to do - (97 Discovery)
The move up and down ok - - just not all the way up - I have to reach over and pull them both up about 1/8 of an inch to be able to unlock the doors - Didn't used to be like this - just started on the pass. rear door then the front pass. door a week later - same issue - they go up and down with the fob - just not far enough up - I have not messed with the doors at all so I'm a little baffled - and suggestions?
The move up and down ok - - just not all the way up - I have to reach over and pull them both up about 1/8 of an inch to be able to unlock the doors - Didn't used to be like this - just started on the pass. rear door then the front pass. door a week later - same issue - they go up and down with the fob - just not far enough up - I have not messed with the doors at all so I'm a little baffled - and suggestions?
#23
05-05-2013, 05:33 AM
Disco1
Hi, two of my door actuators are not doing what they are designed to do - (97 Discovery)
The move up and down ok - - just not all the way up - I have to reach over and pull them both up about 1/8 of an inch to be able to unlock the doors - Didn't used to be like this - just started on the pass. rear door then the front pass. door a week later - same issue - they go up and down with the fob - just not far enough up - I have not messed with the doors at all so I'm a little baffled - and suggestions?
The move up and down ok - - just not all the way up - I have to reach over and pull them both up about 1/8 of an inch to be able to unlock the doors - Didn't used to be like this - just started on the pass. rear door then the front pass. door a week later - same issue - they go up and down with the fob - just not far enough up - I have not messed with the doors at all so I'm a little baffled - and suggestions?
What problem you got is the Spring is broken...Contact me if you want them...
Regards..
Salman EiD
#24
10-18-2016, 10:24 AM
Hello Guys....
This thread is old, but it is useful to add the information about the small motors.
The motors can be purchased in Amazon or Ebay. The motors are the 20mm Long Shaft Mabuchi Motor FC-280PC-22125. I have just purchased 8, price was 32bucks (free shipping) at ebay. Price starts in 5 dollars per motor when buying separately. I have now one door stuck (rear, driver side) and will replace both motors (superlock and actuator). This way I will not touch the same door again.
Hope this information helps!
This thread is old, but it is useful to add the information about the small motors.
The motors can be purchased in Amazon or Ebay. The motors are the 20mm Long Shaft Mabuchi Motor FC-280PC-22125. I have just purchased 8, price was 32bucks (free shipping) at ebay. Price starts in 5 dollars per motor when buying separately. I have now one door stuck (rear, driver side) and will replace both motors (superlock and actuator). This way I will not touch the same door again.
Hope this information helps!
The following 2 users liked this post by johnkbl:
Frank Rutter (03-24-2024),
mcaramb (10-19-2016)
#25
10-19-2016, 11:05 AM
Actually, in my 2001 Disco II, although they look nearly identical, the superlock motor is a REVERSE drive motor and spins in the opposite direction than the Lock/Unlock motor. I know, because I thought I'd be clever and simply sacrifice the superlock motor to replace my lock motor and just not have the idiotic superlock function. Sure enough, physically, it all worked well, you simply change the worm gears (the one on the superlock is just a bit larger than the other, using a hammer and small nail) and snap it into place. Well, now, pressing LOCK unlocks the car and UNLOCK locks the car... lol... I fixed this by dremmel tooling the underside of the actuator plastic housing beneath the motor so I could get at the embedded circuit traces. I then cut them, and resoldered new connections that in effect reverse the polarity to just that motor. I don't believe you can simply do this at the wiring harness because both motors share a common lead, so the reversed polarity would create a dead short when you engage the actuator.
PS: Also, I did this on all 5 actuators and I NEVER had to remove the windows to get at them. They ALL can be removed quite easily WITHOUT pulling the windows out. Here's how:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR EASILY REMOVING THE ACTUATORS WITHOUT REMOVING WINDOWS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRONT R/L: Only remove two window frame bolts. The bolt inside the door at the bottom of the window frame, and the top bolt on the outside of the door jam above the actuator. Then, remove the bolts securing the actuator. With the window rolled up, the window frame bracket pinning down the actuator is pretty easy to bend an inch or so out of the way so you can wiggle the actuator out. The frame is pretty tough and forgiving and goes right back into it's original position once you let go.
REAR R/L: Don't need to do anything to the window frame. Just use a pair of pliers and bend up and out the top and bottom edges of the large access hole in front of the actuator. Remove the bolts securing the actuator and wiggle it out through the enlarged hole. After you put it back you can bend the metal back into place.
BACK HATCH: Just remove the actuator and wiggle it out. Easy peasy.
NOTE: You'll want to remove the bolt holding the door handle and pop it out on the front and rear doors as well. This makes reassembly easier especially with the rear doors which is a bugger to reattach to the handle.
Lastly, since no one seems to have posted this, here's a little more info on getting inside the actuator
INSTRUCTIONS ON OPENING THE ACTUATOR
---------------------------------------------------
DISASSEMBLY
-----------------
1. Remove clipped on plastic housing. Depending on which actuator, this usually doesn't require removing any screws.
2. Take a picture of the mechanical connections between the base and the latching mechanism piece attached 90 degrees to it.
3. Remove all visible Torx screws along the perimeter of the base (including the hidden one under the Superlock swing arm near the harness clip)
4. Pop out the pressure clipped stud in the dead center of the base which holds the latching mechanism piece to the base. I just dig at the washer-shaped clip with a small flathead watch screwdriver. This will usually malform or even crack the pressure clip, however after a little fixing up, the clip usually goes back on sufficiently well during reassembly-- if you haven't sent the clip into orbit trying to pop it off.
5. Using a flat head screwdriver, pry the bottom of the metal bracket of the latching mechanism piece away up and out from the plastic of the base and start to slide it away from the base. The clipped stud should have been the only thing holds this bracket that you need to remove. Everything else is pressure fit into little holes and sockets.
6. Once the latching mechanism piece is removed, there are a few more perimeter screws to remove. Then, have fun breaking off all the plastic retaining clips around the perimeter. Seriously. I tried NOT to break these but they are next to IMPOSSIBLE not to. They are extremely brittle and on very tight and not forgiving at all. I ended up just saying screw it and simply broke them all off. The perimeter screws IMHO are MORE than enough to hold the base together. I can't understand why so many retaining clips were needed, other than for waterproofing. Whatever...
7. Pry apart the top and bottom of the base.
8. You'll see the lock/unlock motor (horizontal to the latching mechanism peice). and the super lock motor (diagonal pointing towards center) and their gears.
9. If you plan on using the super lock motor for the lock/unlock motor, you'll need to reverse the polarity of that motor by cutting and resoldering the traces connecting the lock/unlock motor. Hold up the bottom half off the base to a bright light and you can see the traces leading to the motor. Use that as a guide for your dremmel tool and carefully dig down to them.
REASSEMBLY:
---------------
1. Put the motors in the upper half of the base with their worm gears meshed into their respective drive gear. Make sure the two electrical connection holes of the motors are facing outwards so the lower base connectors will mesh into them when pressed back together.
2. Line up the axles shafts in the lower base so that they mesh with the two drive gears, then carefully press the upper and lower half together. This is a little tricky to get just right, but you can jockey around the drive gears pretty easily to make it fit easier.
3. Return all the perimeter screws.
4. Slide the locking mechanism piece back on. THIS IS VERY TRICKY TO DO. With the exception of the rear actuator which has one more, you also need to watch three mechanical connections when you do this.
a. Make sure the end of the lock/unlock swing arm is on the INSIDE of the connecting rod on the latch mechanism.
b. Make sure the latch mechanisms middle bar's notch meshes with the plastic divit under the lock/unlock swing arm.
c. Make sure not to jam the super lock swing arm into the pivoted metal bar mounted next to it on the base. This is typically the one that gives me the most fits.
5. Once it's all together, reinsert the stud in the center and press the pressure clip back on.
6. If you've removed the super lock feature, make sure the super lock swing arm is rotated OUT away from the center of the base. This is the disengaged position.
7. Put the plastic housing back over the base.
Hope this helps!
PS: Also, I did this on all 5 actuators and I NEVER had to remove the windows to get at them. They ALL can be removed quite easily WITHOUT pulling the windows out. Here's how:
INSTRUCTIONS FOR EASILY REMOVING THE ACTUATORS WITHOUT REMOVING WINDOWS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FRONT R/L: Only remove two window frame bolts. The bolt inside the door at the bottom of the window frame, and the top bolt on the outside of the door jam above the actuator. Then, remove the bolts securing the actuator. With the window rolled up, the window frame bracket pinning down the actuator is pretty easy to bend an inch or so out of the way so you can wiggle the actuator out. The frame is pretty tough and forgiving and goes right back into it's original position once you let go.
REAR R/L: Don't need to do anything to the window frame. Just use a pair of pliers and bend up and out the top and bottom edges of the large access hole in front of the actuator. Remove the bolts securing the actuator and wiggle it out through the enlarged hole. After you put it back you can bend the metal back into place.
BACK HATCH: Just remove the actuator and wiggle it out. Easy peasy.
NOTE: You'll want to remove the bolt holding the door handle and pop it out on the front and rear doors as well. This makes reassembly easier especially with the rear doors which is a bugger to reattach to the handle.
Lastly, since no one seems to have posted this, here's a little more info on getting inside the actuator
INSTRUCTIONS ON OPENING THE ACTUATOR
---------------------------------------------------
DISASSEMBLY
-----------------
1. Remove clipped on plastic housing. Depending on which actuator, this usually doesn't require removing any screws.
2. Take a picture of the mechanical connections between the base and the latching mechanism piece attached 90 degrees to it.
3. Remove all visible Torx screws along the perimeter of the base (including the hidden one under the Superlock swing arm near the harness clip)
4. Pop out the pressure clipped stud in the dead center of the base which holds the latching mechanism piece to the base. I just dig at the washer-shaped clip with a small flathead watch screwdriver. This will usually malform or even crack the pressure clip, however after a little fixing up, the clip usually goes back on sufficiently well during reassembly-- if you haven't sent the clip into orbit trying to pop it off.
5. Using a flat head screwdriver, pry the bottom of the metal bracket of the latching mechanism piece away up and out from the plastic of the base and start to slide it away from the base. The clipped stud should have been the only thing holds this bracket that you need to remove. Everything else is pressure fit into little holes and sockets.
6. Once the latching mechanism piece is removed, there are a few more perimeter screws to remove. Then, have fun breaking off all the plastic retaining clips around the perimeter. Seriously. I tried NOT to break these but they are next to IMPOSSIBLE not to. They are extremely brittle and on very tight and not forgiving at all. I ended up just saying screw it and simply broke them all off. The perimeter screws IMHO are MORE than enough to hold the base together. I can't understand why so many retaining clips were needed, other than for waterproofing. Whatever...
7. Pry apart the top and bottom of the base.
8. You'll see the lock/unlock motor (horizontal to the latching mechanism peice). and the super lock motor (diagonal pointing towards center) and their gears.
9. If you plan on using the super lock motor for the lock/unlock motor, you'll need to reverse the polarity of that motor by cutting and resoldering the traces connecting the lock/unlock motor. Hold up the bottom half off the base to a bright light and you can see the traces leading to the motor. Use that as a guide for your dremmel tool and carefully dig down to them.
REASSEMBLY:
---------------
1. Put the motors in the upper half of the base with their worm gears meshed into their respective drive gear. Make sure the two electrical connection holes of the motors are facing outwards so the lower base connectors will mesh into them when pressed back together.
2. Line up the axles shafts in the lower base so that they mesh with the two drive gears, then carefully press the upper and lower half together. This is a little tricky to get just right, but you can jockey around the drive gears pretty easily to make it fit easier.
3. Return all the perimeter screws.
4. Slide the locking mechanism piece back on. THIS IS VERY TRICKY TO DO. With the exception of the rear actuator which has one more, you also need to watch three mechanical connections when you do this.
a. Make sure the end of the lock/unlock swing arm is on the INSIDE of the connecting rod on the latch mechanism.
b. Make sure the latch mechanisms middle bar's notch meshes with the plastic divit under the lock/unlock swing arm.
c. Make sure not to jam the super lock swing arm into the pivoted metal bar mounted next to it on the base. This is typically the one that gives me the most fits.
5. Once it's all together, reinsert the stud in the center and press the pressure clip back on.
6. If you've removed the super lock feature, make sure the super lock swing arm is rotated OUT away from the center of the base. This is the disengaged position.
7. Put the plastic housing back over the base.
Hope this helps!
Last edited by mcaramb; 10-19-2016 at 01:19 PM.
The following 3 users liked this post by mcaramb:
#26
10-19-2016, 11:35 AM
I did the same homebrew repair (described in post #25) about 6 months ago using the superlock motor, however, I simply cut and swapped the leadwires for the lock motor, the alternate method you describe. Since I was eliminating the superlock as a part of the process, there was no concern.
The following users liked this post:
Frank Rutter (03-24-2024)
#27
10-19-2016, 01:18 PM
I did the same homebrew repair (described in post #25) about 6 months ago using the superlock motor, however, I simply cut and swapped the leadwires for the lock motor, the alternate method you describe. Since I was eliminating the superlock as a part of the process, there was no concern.
Last edited by mcaramb; 10-19-2016 at 01:26 PM.
#28
10-19-2016, 11:15 PM
Hello Guys....
This thread is old, but it is useful to add the information about the small motors.
The motors can be purchased in Amazon or Ebay. The motors are the 20mm Long Shaft Mabuchi Motor FC-280PC-22125. I have just purchased 8, price was 32bucks (free shipping) at ebay. Price starts in 5 dollars per motor when buying separately. I have now one door stuck (rear, driver side) and will replace both motors (superlock and actuator). This way I will not touch the same door again.
Hope this information helps!
This thread is old, but it is useful to add the information about the small motors.
The motors can be purchased in Amazon or Ebay. The motors are the 20mm Long Shaft Mabuchi Motor FC-280PC-22125. I have just purchased 8, price was 32bucks (free shipping) at ebay. Price starts in 5 dollars per motor when buying separately. I have now one door stuck (rear, driver side) and will replace both motors (superlock and actuator). This way I will not touch the same door again.
Hope this information helps!
#29
10-20-2016, 02:46 PM
Hello Guys....
This thread is old, but it is useful to add the information about the small motors.
The motors can be purchased in Amazon or Ebay. The motors are the 20mm Long Shaft Mabuchi Motor FC-280PC-22125. I have just purchased 8, price was 32bucks (free shipping) at ebay. Price starts in 5 dollars per motor when buying separately. I have now one door stuck (rear, driver side) and will replace both motors (superlock and actuator). This way I will not touch the same door again.
Hope this information helps!
This thread is old, but it is useful to add the information about the small motors.
The motors can be purchased in Amazon or Ebay. The motors are the 20mm Long Shaft Mabuchi Motor FC-280PC-22125. I have just purchased 8, price was 32bucks (free shipping) at ebay. Price starts in 5 dollars per motor when buying separately. I have now one door stuck (rear, driver side) and will replace both motors (superlock and actuator). This way I will not touch the same door again.
Hope this information helps!
#30
11-07-2016, 10:30 AM
You are right... I am reading this again and I am realizing that there may be two types of small motors. I do not remember to have read anything about polarity of the motors I purchas
I recall that there were two different part numbers for the motor, Mabuchi 280PT-20150 and Mabuchi 280PT-22125. Maybe the polarity is the difference, but will need to check. I received my 8 motors last week and will post the rotation direction as soon as i can.
https://www.landyzone.co.uk/land-rov...cement.198637/
According to Amazon, a similar motor can be reversed in the direction by reversing the polarity of the wires. I do not know if this will be the case with my model.
https://www.amazon.com/Mabuchi-FC-28.../dp/B01I2ZEL8Q
I will provide the polarity test results as soon as I can.