2014+ Power Tailgate Lock installed

[tig488]

just ordered this from Autoaccessoriesgarage.com for 101 with free shipping. can't wait to get it installed, thanks for the great thread.

[Fasthotrod]

I am just curious is the new cam arm really needed?

 

Yes, it is. Mine had a slight burr on it, which prevented it from going on to the shaft properly. Had to bust out the grinder and clean it up, then it fit just fine.

[Pat Grant]

Thanks for the heads up MotoMedic, I ordered it today!

[BigRedd]

Does anybody know what gauge the wires are that we're tapping into? I want to get the right size posi-taps. Thanks.

[DanY]

Does anybody know what gauge the wires are that we're tapping into? I want to get the right size posi-taps. Thanks.

I'm 99% sure the kit comes with the wire taps. I'm not fond of them so I stripped off about 1/4" of insulation

and soldered the wires in place. I have had problems in the past with wire taps on small gauge wires.

 

Whether you solder or wire tap, make sure you stagger the connections so you can get the cover for the

wire channel back on.

[BigRedd]

Thanks. My understanding is that what comes in the kit are ScotchLok, which nobody likes. I'm no car electronics expert but have used posi-taps in the few projects I've done without any issues. Though maybe it's time to finally suck it up and get a soldering iron and learn how to solder.

Edited May 27, 2015 by BigRedd

[DanY]

Thanks. My understanding is that what comes in the kit are ScothLok, which nobody likes. I'm no car electronics expert but have used posi-taps in the few projects I've done without any issues. Though maybe it's time to finally suck it up and get a soldering iron and learn how to solder.

 

I've always used ScothLoks with limited success. I'll have to check out posi-taps.

 

If you decide to solder go with a cheap Weller pencil iron or a Weller gun kit from Lowes, Sears, or Home Depot.

Get some smaller diameter rosin core solder and you are all set. I think the gun kits come with some solder.

 

I have a Weller gun which I usually use for automotive soldering but it has a messed up tip and I used a pencil

iron for this install. Gun is almost instant heat where the pencil needs to heat up and you need someplace to

sit it down where it won't melt anything including it's own power cord.

[szalkerous]

The wires are either 16 or 18 gauge. Hard to tell with variable jacket thickness.

I've used every type of wire tap on the market, they're all mediocre. If you want a solid connection, solder and shrink-wrap it. I'm not terribly concerned because taps fail when excessive motion is involved. That wire bundle is zipped and bundled down real well. I used the provided taps without any concern. It's not exactly hard to get back to it if I needed to, although I highly doubt I will.

[fataslp]

Just for fun I called Ziebart (leer Dealer) where I am getting my cap from and they will sell and install for $89 bucks.

[Pat Grant]

I just completed the install. Thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. My install took 1hr 20min, a bit longer than most on here it seems, but the aircraft mechanic comes out in me whenever wiring is involved. It went extremely smooth and I chose to solder my wires to the factory harness. The only hiccup, if you want to call it that is that the lock did not want to unlock with the FOB. I attributed it to the truck being new and the parts just not "worn in" on the whole mechanism. A quick shot of ACF-50 cured that. Thanks again everyone!

[Vmax08]

I installed the the kit yesterday and everything went smooth except for one thing. When locking with the key it seems like you need to turn the key just right to get the handle to lock or unlock. My question is should the new arm that comes with the kit have free play? If I turn the key and hold the arm there is movement but there is drag on the arm. I'm thinking that the arm should move freely. Yes, the C clip is pointing toward the hinge as described here.

 

Thanks in advance..

[gmckenzie]

Gonna pick one up and add it this weekend.

[LawmanSS]

I installed mine this week. It took a few hours, but I work slowly. Big thanks to everyone who contributed to this thread. The tips helped me to avoid any issues. Thanks to fondupot for the video!

Edited September 3, 2015 by Kilo-9

[szalkerous]

Gonna pick one up and add it this weekend.

Worth it. Best add-on mod. Mine is still running perfectly, I have zero complaints. I also did some extra work and plastic-sheathed the entire cabling up the frame and wrapped that in electrical tape, similar to stock. Also, get some extra zip ties. A lot. Don't cut your wires until you've completed the run entirely. It's real easy to accidentally cut too much.

[erikankrom]

I haven't read through all 11 pages of this forum, but I did find the diagrams and instructions very helpful, with one additional point of clarification.

 

There are TWO gray wires (without stripes) on the 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 SLT Crew. One is around 20-22 gauge wire, the other is around 18-20 gauge. The one you want is the thicker of the two. It may be buried in the bundle of wires, just keep looking for it.

 

If you want to be sure, use a computer safe circuit tester. Unfortunately, I didn't have one on hand, so I learned the hard way.