Installing shaved door handle silenoids in your LX

**bubbamagnum** · 01-06-2008, 12:48 AM

I started off by using a 7 channel spal shaved door handle kit, the kit will come with two silenoids and everything you need to complete this install.
The silenoids I ordered were the 40lb pull silenoids, they make various pull strenghts. I would recommend that you use these because the doors are heavy and you need enough pop to open the door past the stricker.
Also most kits only come with two silenoids so you will need to order two more silenoids for the rear doors.
They do also make kits that have less than and more than 7 channels, the more channels you have the more you can do with your remotes provided in the kit. They also include a auxillary door popper if your battery dies that you mount some where out of sight on your car. The kit will also include door poppers so you could use them to open your rear hatch by remote, the kit can also operate your windows up and down if you know how to wire it correctly.
The pics included are not of great quality because the shop I was working in had no power just generator power with a work light (bad storm knocked out the power days ago)
Here goes..

The pic is of the kit that I used, 40lb door silenoid pulls, 7 channel relay system.The kit came with two remotes, pull wires for the silenoids,fuses,wiring harness, relay,bolts to mount your silenoids,clamps to hold your pull wire. You will want to add two more door silenoids to pop the rear doors. The rear hatch can be done by wiring into your rear hatch wiring and using the door poppers (2) that came with the kit.
Like I stated before you can get more channels just depends on what you plan on opening. This kit will allow you open all four doors,pop your rear hatch, and even roll your windows up and down and open and close your sunroof. If you know where to tap into the harness.

An example of the stuff that comes in the box, the connectors do come but not the big bulk boxes. I had a few on hand just incase.

Step one
First start off by removing your door panel down to the skin and the inside door pull (the red mesh covered sleeve on the rod) this is the part that connects to your door handle on the inside of your door panel.

Step two
**Some of these steps are repeated further down, just wanted to give you and overview of what you will be trying to do once you removed the three start head bolts

Next you will want to remove the three star head bolts that hold your door latch assembly and allows your door to close and open at the stricker. You will want to support this unit once you remove the last bolt, it will fall down inside your door. Once you have removed these three bolts you will want to move it down to the bottom of the door skin and fish it out down in the bottom hole in the door skin. You will not be allowed to bring it straight accross due to the crash bar that goes side to side inside your door. Also you have the door lock assembly and the rod that connects the latch to the inside door handle.

Step three
Just as a precaution I removed the door strikers to prevent any latching of the door and you not being able to open the door once closed. You will want to put these back in once you are certain the you have installed the door assembly back correctly. Even if your system (silenoids) are not powered up you can open and shut the door by using the bar with the red mesh covering. Just remember to leave another door open so you can access the inside of your car.

Pics of the exterior door with no handles.

Step four
This door unlock post, the round knob screws off so you can remove it to fish this piece out of the hole it is in. You will also want to remove the black rubber grommet before trying to get this rod inside the door to bring it down to the bottom of the door skin and out of the bottom hole in the door skin.

Step five
A closer look of the latch assembly, notice the white tab is the door lock post, it moves up and down. To get this rod out of the white assembly if needed you just push up on the rod and it will pop up, then you will turn it upwards and it will come completly out. *** I did not need to remove this at any time of the install but you may have to.
You will also want to unplug the power door locks wiring from the latch assembly. Just push the clips in and once up you will see red on the clips and then just pull up.

Step six
A better look at the latch assembly once out of the vehicle. You should be able to fish this unit out at the bottom of the door without removing both rods that are attatched to this assembly.

Step seven
I am pointing to the hole where you are going to attach the silenoid pull latch. This hole once the cable is attatched and secured will give you the down force needed to pop your doors past the striker on the door. Remember you have child locks on the latch assembly, you will want to make sure the door latch is in the unlocked position, and the child lock is not engaged. The rod with the red mesh on it will move freely if the child lock is engaged, compared to how it will move if the child lock is off, Remember you can use this rod to open the latch once you have installed it back into the door skin with no silenoid powered yet. If the child lock is engaged you will not be able to open the door using the rod with red mesh covering it. This is why I have removed the door striker, once I get the latch assembly installed and I am sure that the rod works to open the door I re-install the door striker.

Step eight
Here is a pic of the tension cable (black cable with coating on it) being installed, you loop it through the hole in the door latch assembly to provide your downward pull of the door latch. You will need a pair of heavy duty pliers to ensure the clamp is secured properly. Remember this wire will be the only thing that will ensure your doors open properly-you do not want it to slip off.

A pic of the child lock assembly

Another look of the tension cable being clamped and installed

A good look of the silenoid- this one is activated by an electrical charge (Some silenoids are screw drive) The plunger moves up and down to move the cable which moves the door latch assembly. There is a hole in the top of the ram for you to run your second loop to. This will attach the latch assembly to the silenoid. You will also notice a black wire and white wire. You can ground the back wire to your door skin, just remove the paint to ensure a good ground. The white wire will be connected to your relay box under the dash. You will eventually want to run this wire through your existing wiring harnes that comes through the boot of the doors.

The latch assembly is connected to silenoid and ready to be installed. Remember you will want to make sure that you install the silenoid so that it will not interfere with the windows rolling up and down. I would suggest you test it before picking your mounting spot. Also remember the cable must be straight and the silenoid mounted at the far most extended position. If you do not have enough tension on the cable to pop the doors they will not give you enough pop to get the doors past the strikers.

Once you have located a spot for mounting the silenoid use a punch to help you make your holes for the bolts that hold the silenoid secure during operation.
Fish the assembly up from the bottom and mount your silenoid. Test pop it and then make sure your rod with the red mesh on it works to operate the door and then re-install your door stricker and test.

Front door look at the no handles look.

A pic of a door striker next to silver gas cap in the door jamb.

This install is very time consuming and will take you about 4 hours per door, Skill level moderate to expert in my opinion.
Any questions please let me know??
Happy Modding!!

**Hurst Equipped** · 04-19-2008, 10:07 PM

what would be the best size solenoid for our cars? is bigger always better here? i have seen solenoids from 15lbs to 80lbs.

also, what is the best welding heat blocker? i have heat fence clay, but i have seen cool gel spray. what did you use?

**lowriderman3** · 04-19-2008, 10:32 PM

Very nice write up man!

**kickin_it** · 01-01-2009, 05:27 PM

awesome write up bubba.

**bubbamagnum** · 01-01-2009, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by Hurst Equipped

what would be the best size solenoid for our cars? is bigger always better here? i have seen solenoids from 15lbs to 80lbs.

also, what is the best welding heat blocker? i have heat fence clay, but i have seen cool gel spray. what did you use?

40lb door pulls is plenty
I think I answered you in a PM a while back but just incase I did not here is the answer to your question.

I used no heat block just some cool rags with water while welding and and air gun to cool the welds off. You can only weld a few seconds at a time since the metal is some thin.

**bubbamagnum** · 01-01-2009, 09:20 PM

Originally Posted by kickin_it

awesome write up bubba.

Thanks I hope it helps people that want to do this mod

**orandaberg** · 07-11-2009, 04:09 PM

Hi
How long did you make your wire before clamping,also did you not use the wire that came with the kit? Since your write up how has the kit worked,is it reliable?
Pierre