Howdy folks! A quick update
Reference links:
POWER DOOR LOCKS INSTALLED! [part seven] 2002 Ford Ranger EDGE
How to Install Power Door Locks (Keyless Entry) in Your Vehicle [Part 2 of 2]
2001-2003 Ford Ranger Fuse Box Diagrams
While the interior is torn apart, and I'm waiting to pull some replacement seat belt components to HOPEFULLY clear the last of my airbag codes, I thought it best to get around to some little upgrades. Today that was power door locks!
I bought
THIS Universal kit on Amazon, it was dirt cheap, and there were a few videos online for it being installed in Ford Rangers. The videos which I'll also link helped give me an idea of where to mount the actuators, and a few other things. Unfortunately those videos didn't tell me how to do a few things very clearly.
One, how to get wires through into the door specifically on the driver's side, given that at the exit of wire pass through, the emergency brake pedal mechanism is in the way. Two, where to find an easy, constant, 12 volt power source. Short of passing a wire through the firewall. Which is annoying.
The first problem was easily solved by my favorite tool, the wire coat hanger. I bent it into this shape:
Removed the speaker, and started shoving it through here carefully:
This is approximately where it will come out:
From there I just wrapped the wires up, added some extra tape to make sure the coat hanger wouldn't rip the rubber through, or damage other wires on the way back.
Voila! Wires!
The second issue was also a surprisingly easy fix with a little research. Thankfully MAB3L and most other Rangers who don't have power locks, also don't have options like power mirrors. So after a checking out the fuse diagrams in the tech library, a poke and a prod with the voltmeter Fuse slot #1 was there for me, with constant power!
Check the fuse diagram for your year, and you should be able to find a fuse slot that's hopefully constant, and not being used.
I pulled the fuse box out by removing the 3 bolts holding it in, pulled the whole fuse box out as much as possible. I made sure to route the power wire from the unit over and out of the way of the parking brake mechanism.
I then stuffed power wire into the back of the slot, sorta did a crimp to hold it down, and slotted in a 10 Amp fuse I know it's supposed to be 5 amp fuse for the power mirror switch, but there is already a 10 amp in line fuse from the kit, and I doubt it's gonna matter. I used the OBD2 port bolts to ground the unit.
Bingo Bango Bongo, route some wires here, a zip tie there. The thing's in!
The locks now work very well! I'll post some pictures or a video soon of the whole thing working, but I'm just waiting for my sound deadening material to come in to quiet down the doors before I put em all back together. In total, this quick and easy mod cost a very very REASONABLE, 37.90$.