[Rinny]

I could not find the thread I read a couple of years ago. Don't even know if it was on here. If you are having trouble getting the hatch to open and have to almost bang the button to engage the actuator there is a fix.
1)remove the clips over the end of the inside handle
2) remove the handle
3) remove the screws that hold the interior hatch glass trim
4) remove the steel bar that holds the handle
5) remove the 2 bolts that hold the metal bar for the handle
6)remove the wiper arm from the outside of the hatch
7)remove the plastic nut from the wiper assembly
8) Back to the inside and remove the 2 bolts that hold the wiper motor, take the motor out and let it hang
9)remove the clip that holds the lock cylinder and unplug it from the harness
10) pull it out from the outside
11) MARK THE CYLINDER AND THE SWITCH FOR ALIGHNMENT, unclip the switch from the lock cylinder
12) MARK THE HOUSING AND THE TOP OF THE SWITCH FOR ALIGHNMENT, carefully stretch the plastic housing and pry the top oF the switch out of the housing
13) MAKE NOTE OF THE POSITION OF THE COPPER PEICE AS IT COMES OUT OF THE HOUSING
14) clean all the crud and scale off the copper piece (I used a wire wheel on my bench grinder)
15) clean the contacts in the bottom of the housing
16) if the button with the lock cylinder was loose you can stretch the spring a bit, I did and it is like new.
17) reassemble

Make sure it goes back together exactly as it came apart, Don't ask me why but it took an extra couple of hours :banghead: .

 

[zzimmer3]

Mine just started acting up this weekend. It will actuate once, but if I don't pull to open the hatch, I hit the button again, bit it acts like it's 'tired' and doesn't want to actuate fully, just halfway moves the rods. Will this fix that issue?

 

[Rinny]

worth a try. if not a new actuator should fix it. I would clean it up first.

 

[markmitch]

I drilled a small hole on the clevice that the rods go into and added a cabled pull to the inside of the hatch. I can climb in through the slider and pull the cable to open it. I did this because I am still wiring the hatch stuff through relays and such so I do not have the battery hooked up at this time. I did not take pictures of this but I can later if anyone would like to see it.

 

[augidog]

I drilled a small hole on the clevice that the rods go into and added a cabled pull to the inside of the hatch. I can climb in through the slider and pull the cable to open it. I did this because I am still wiring the hatch stuff through relays and such so I do not have the battery hooked up at this time. I did not take pictures of this but I can later if anyone would like to see it.

if you're offering pics of the internals, where you connected your ripcord, I'm in.

 

[markmitch]

I will take the door panel off and grab a few pics tomorrow, if you don't see them posted remind me please.

 

[r.branch]

Were you ever able to post photos of how you fabricated the manual release?

 

[sixsix]

A quick search will show you - that half dozen or so have done the mod.

 

[Rod's Trucks]

Here is a photo of my rear hatch electrical door release and backup mechanical release installation.
Nothing fancy, but very functional. The manual release even works with a dead battery
IIRC, the pushbutton connects between an orange wire and a purple wire to actualte the hatch release solenoid.
That is on my 1998 with the hatch. I am not sure about what might different for the barn door setup.
Rod J
Issaquah, WA

 

[Rod's Trucks]

Trying again with the pictures...

 

[sixsix]

Trying again with the pictures...

Do the pics in your post do better than these 2 ?

Were you ever able to post photos of how you fabricated the manual release?

We shall see...

 

[Rod's Trucks]

Do the pics in your post do better than these 2 ?


We shall see...

There were never any pictures of the manual release connection.
At the time I did not think any thing of it, so I did not take pictures.
Now I know better. It is not possible to take too many pictures. You never know what view of some odd item may be of interest at a later date.

IIRC, I trimmed a small chunk off the lower edge of the interior handle.
That provided a small opening for the
paracord lanyard to go through.
The cord was just hooked onto the interior latch such that it pulled latch the same way the solenoid operated.
It is crude, but very reliable.
Rod J
Issaquah, Wa.

 

[r.branch]

Awesome! Thank you so much!!!