2017 Ram 2500 Tradesman Blend Doors

[rkdub]

Just bought this a month ago. When I bought it there was a little creek behind the dash, didn't think too much of it. Over the last month, it has turned into a loud creaking noise that cycles a bunch on startup and finally settles somewhere. Of course, if I change when air is pushing, it creeks again. Going from left to right facing the dash there are four blend door actuators. I've replaced #1 and #4. I cannot remember primarily when the creaking occurred, and now that I've replaced those two, the creaking is gone. The creek was definitely, primarily, #1.

Now, and this changes, but this is where I'm out now, I get consistent air from the floor and the vent, but the vent doesn't always turn off, and I can't get much out of the defrost. On another post, I saw a removed HVAC assembly with pointers to the different actuators and what they control. But not for my year/make/model.

Does anyone have a good breakout of #1-#4, what they control? Also, calibration....? I tried pushing the air recirculator for 10, letting go, and pushing again, guess this is for older models. I'm concerned that this is going to require taking it in and paying a bunch of money for someone to hook it up to a machine and push a button. Is there another way to recalibrate? Disconnect battery? Gear line up? Something?

I don't have auto or dual climate control. Nothing fancy. I don't have trailer brake control on mine, but this is essentially what the dash looks like.



Much appreciated in advance.

 

[GTyankee]

there are 4 Actuators, which consist of an electric motor & gears

up by the top right corner of the glove box, there is a Circulation Door & actuator

Behind the lower left corner of the lower glove compartment door, you can see the MODE door & actuator. That door in 1 position runs the air flow over the heater.
In the other position, it runs the air over the condenser.

The next 2 actuators, are located behind the Brake Controller & aux. switch panel

Each Actuator is held on by 2 screws & attached to wiring

In this video, they pull the Blend Door Actuator
Then she takes it apart, when she looked at those teeth, she would have found broken teeth, you can often lift the wheel off & rotate the wheel 180 degrees & put it back together.
At that point, you can plug it back in, without putting the screws back in, if there is no more clicking, the actuator will often work for months or even years.

Another thing, before the actuator is mounted again, you will notice a white fitting that the actuator fits on to ,,, take your fingers & try moving that fitting, just a 1/2 rotation left & right, without much force.
IF you feel some weight & hear a slight THUD, that means that the door is pivoting correctly. Then carefully re-attach the actuator.

2009 Dodge Ram SLT: Blend Door Actuator Replacement

In this video we are replacing one of the Blend Door Actuators in a 2009 Dodge Ram SLT. This is the one located behind the glove box.The part was roughly $1...

www.youtube.com

Every actuator is the same as the other actuator
Mopar Actuators are the best, because they are strong & self calibrating, maybe $30 each

 

[rkdub]

OK, the creaking came back. Like a big dummy I think I was messing around so much to get the "alignment" right, I put the old one (that wasn't quite broken yet" back in. Anyway, getting ready to go back in there and swap it out with a new one. I saw on a post that there are two dashes that line up to show center. In the video you recommended, she doesn't do anything to either the lever or the actuator. Just leaves the lever down and puts it in. I have two brand new ones (they're so cheap I ordered 4), you're telling me if I just let the lever hang, and install the new one as is, the truck will auto calibrate to center and everything will work fine? If so, that would be just fantastic. That's not what the videos out there are telling me, but it makes sense, the way I can hear the actuator go back and forth (creaking) every time I start up. Sounds like it's looking for it's endpoints and setting center.

Thanks again.