Generic Power Locks/Remote Keyless Entry?

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ilarson007

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Hi everyone. I just bought an 04 1500 Quad Cab that looks like it used to be a work truck. Manual locks, windows, and mirrors. So, I want to put in power locks to begin with. I was wondering if anyone had ever used a generic 12V actuator for power locks in their truck? I just want to make sure I can find something that works with the space constraints.

My next thought was to get remote keyless entry, and have that basically as the only switch to lock/unlock. I don't want to change door bezels to install one switch into! At some point down the road, I'd like to have power windows and mirrors as well. Has anyone tackled these projects?
 

JPT

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I didn't personally tackle it myself. But I got a work truck 2 door, long bed, manual trans, windows, door locks. I had a viper alarm I pulled from my last vehicle I was donating. It has remote start, and all the goodness. I had the shop move it over to the truck and put in power door locks. I do not have buttons to lock or unlock the doors but it uses the alarm to trigger it. When I disarm the alarm, the doors unlock. When I start it and close the doors the doors lock. When I shut off the truck, the doors unlock. And lastly when I arm the alarm the doors lock.

The only bad part is, I have no way to unlock the doors when the truck is running if a passenger needs to get it. If it was a 4 door, it would be useless without at least a drivers button on the door or center console.

I do have the remote start feature. I have to leave it in "armed for remote start". Before I get out of the running tuck, I have to hold the brake pedal, apply the parking break, then let go of the brake pedal, and hit the remote start button. The doors automatically unlock and the truck stays running. Next you take out the key, get out and once all doors are close you arm the alarm and the truck shuts off. As long as no doors are opened you can remote start.

I would consider getting a viper alarm, and adding power door locks to it. If you have a two door you can live without an unlock button, if you have a 4 door (or you pick up a lot of people after you are already driving), consider getting a simple aftermarket button for locking and unlocking on the center console.
 
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ilarson007

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I didn't personally tackle it myself. But I got a work truck 2 door, long bed, manual trans, windows, door locks. I had a viper alarm I pulled from my last vehicle I was donating. It has remote start, and all the goodness. I had the shop move it over to the truck and put in power door locks. I do not have buttons to lock or unlock the doors but it uses the alarm to trigger it. When I disarm the alarm, the doors unlock. When I start it and close the doors the doors lock. When I shut off the truck, the doors unlock. And lastly when I arm the alarm the doors lock.

The only bad part is, I have no way to unlock the doors when the truck is running if a passenger needs to get it. If it was a 4 door, it would be useless without at least a drivers button on the door or center console.

I do have the remote start feature. I have to leave it in "armed for remote start". Before I get out of the running tuck, I have to hold the brake pedal, apply the parking break, then let go of the brake pedal, and hit the remote start button. The doors automatically unlock and the truck stays running. Next you take out the key, get out and once all doors are close you arm the alarm and the truck shuts off. As long as no doors are opened you can remote start.

I would consider getting a viper alarm, and adding power door locks to it. If you have a two door you can live without an unlock button, if you have a 4 door (or you pick up a lot of people after you are already driving), consider getting a simple aftermarket button for locking and unlocking on the center console.

Not sure what the differences are between your truck and mine, but I was thinking of buying a simple remote keyless (I don't really want an alarm) and I guess I never thought about the truck being running vs shut off. I was hoping I could wire it so that I could lock/unlock the doors from the remote at any time. I also am just trying to figure out how people have mounted their locks and what locks have worked for people in the past. There are plenty of 12V solenoids on amazon and other online stores.

I was thinking something like this:
Power Lock Actuator
Keyless Entry
 

CorDog009

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I added a similar setup onto a truck before, I installed an alarm and we put in the door lock actuators and just tied them to the lock/unlock wires from the alarm that would have gone to the factory door locks. If you just get the add-on keyless entry system you can wire it up as a stand-alone type where the locks will lock/unlock regardless of whether the vehicle is running...but if you have the keys in the ignition your key fob will be on the keys..unless you carry the extra fob in your pocket.
 
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ilarson007

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I added a similar setup onto a truck before, I installed an alarm and we put in the door lock actuators and just tied them to the lock/unlock wires from the alarm that would have gone to the factory door locks. If you just get the add-on keyless entry system you can wire it up as a stand-alone type where the locks will lock/unlock regardless of whether the vehicle is running...but if you have the keys in the ignition your key fob will be on the keys..unless you carry the extra fob in your pocket.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure my truck doesn't have any of the wiring for options that weren't installed. My dad has an 06 SLT, and you can see like the fog light wires hanging down (he also has power locks, windows, keyless entry, etc). But on mine, there are no fog light wires hanging down, so I think I'm on my own for wiring. Which sucks. I was hoping I could buy motors and regulators and have power windows too. And power mirrors. lol.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a lock/unlock switch in the truck somewhere, but I just would like it to look factory. I don't know if there is a door panel that has a spot for just the power lock switch, or if you got all the options together.
 

CorDog009

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Yeah, I'm pretty sure my truck doesn't have any of the wiring for options that weren't installed. My dad has an 06 SLT, and you can see like the fog light wires hanging down (he also has power locks, windows, keyless entry, etc). But on mine, there are no fog light wires hanging down, so I think I'm on my own for wiring. Which sucks. I was hoping I could buy motors and regulators and have power windows too. And power mirrors. lol.

It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a lock/unlock switch in the truck somewhere, but I just would like it to look factory. I don't know if there is a door panel that has a spot for just the power lock switch, or if you got all the options together.

Yeah, you won't have the factory wiring there, if you wanted to add the power windows and mirrors you could go to a salvage yard and pull the wiring out of a donor truck and find a diagram to see which goes where, that way you'll have the factory connections for the switches and just supply power and ground where they need to go. I did that on a '02 Z28 that didn't come with power anything.

I looked and couldn't find a panel with just power locks, but if you want to add power windows and mirrors too it'd be easy enough to just get the panels with all the switches in them.
 
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ilarson007

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Yeah, you won't have the factory wiring there, if you wanted to add the power windows and mirrors you could go to a salvage yard and pull the wiring out of a donor truck and find a diagram to see which goes where, that way you'll have the factory connections for the switches and just supply power and ground where they need to go. I did that on a '02 Z28 that didn't come with power anything.

I looked and couldn't find a panel with just power locks, but if you want to add power windows and mirrors too it'd be easy enough to just get the panels with all the switches in them.

Yeah, I added power windows to my ZX2 that I had about 4 years ago (I can't remember, but I think it already had power locks). Anyways, I bought two spare doors and an entire spare wire harness from a guy. Came home and traced every single wire in the wire harness, took it out of the wire harness, and made the connections in my car. Except I did make a slight modification.... I ran the 12V power directly to the battery instead of to the fuse box (yes, I did put an inline fuse of an appropriate rating in). This allowed me to run my windows at any time, not just when the car was on or in the ACC position! I loved it. I guess if I could find four doors for the right price, I might do that, but I hate the fact that I need to make a wire harness again (that took me something like 16 hours just to trace and remove on the ZX2 harness. And that was half the doors). So, I may just do the aftermarket power locks/remote keyless for now. That would be fairly easy to accomplish, I feel like.
 

MegaMouseGW

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Viper offers a system that adds power locks to a truck/car that did not have them originally. Just a bit of wiring needed.
 
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ilarson007

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Viper offers a system that adds power locks to a truck/car that did not have them originally. Just a bit of wiring needed.

Is that like an alarm as well? Or just the lock system?
 

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ilarson007

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They offer 2 versions. One is just a lock kit, the other is a complete alarm.

main site:

Viper - Car Alarms | Remote Starters | SmartStart | Wireless Home Security and Automation | Window Film and Tint

Keyless entry:

Viper Keyless Entry Systems

And Upgradeable security system:
Viper Security Systems

I don't think these systems come with any kind of solenoids though. I still need solenoids to move the locks, and I still then need to determine how to attach those solenoids to the linkages.
 

MegaMouseGW

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Connecting will be easy a lot of audio shops that do car alarms will carry the solenoids and the linkages that you will need. If not then you can find them online easily. Found the oem ones easily enough if you want to go that route: Dodge Ram 1500 Door Lock Solenoid - 2009 - 2010 - TheAutoPartsShop

oops those are for the 09+ but if you look at the same site you should find ones that will work with your truck.

I found that O-Reilly's ahs the oem versions. I might even do it myself to.

http://www.carbodyparts.net/2007-dodge-ram_1500/door_lock_actuator-arb315302.html
 
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ilarson007

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ilarson007

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So, upon further inpspection, my truck has lock actuators and solenoids in the doors..... Does anyone know where these wires go in the dash? I bough a remote keyless system; I guess it would be nice just to hook into the factory wiring. I would like to put power windows in and get all the factory switches and stuff, but I don't know if that is going to be worth the effort. I'd really like to get back into a car lol.

Anyways, is there some central junction box where the power lock wiring meets up? There would have to be, to trigger them all at the same time I would think.
 

xb1230

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I would dump the aftermarket system and just buy the kit from Chrysler...

It is under 80$ and comes with the receiver and 2 pre-programmed remotes. The receiver simply plugs behind the instrument cluster and runs the whole thing.

Pretty much Plug n PLay and a lot less hassle than dealing with aftermarket stuff since the rest of the system is pre-installed.

My 2 cents.
 
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ilarson007

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I would dump the aftermarket system and just buy the kit from Chrysler...

It is under 80$ and comes with the receiver and 2 pre-programmed remotes. The receiver simply plugs behind the instrument cluster and runs the whole thing.

Pretty much Plug n PLay and a lot less hassle than dealing with aftermarket stuff since the rest of the system is pre-installed.

My 2 cents.

Replied in the other thread, questions about whether or not I need the switches in the doors for the system to work.
 

Egress

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My truck came with keyless entry but I didnt get the remote when I bought the truck. The remote itself is $70, then the dealer said they will charge $80 to program it. $165-$218 for the whole kit module. I'd be better off just going and having the place down the street from my house install the entire keyless/remote start/security system for 500.
Vampires!
 
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HemiLonestar

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If you decide down the road to upgrade all 4 to power, I have 4 pristine door panels waiting for a new home.
 
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ilarson007

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If you decide down the road to upgrade all 4 to power, I have 4 pristine door panels waiting for a new home.

I have power locks installed, but no switches. I also have manual windows. Are your panels for manual windows?
 
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