How to disconnect door lock vacuum actuators? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

herring · #1 02-15-2008, 06:05 PM

I've capped off the vacuum system to the doors due to a leak and don't plan to use that in the near future. The driver's side rear door actuator is stiff though, making it hard to get the door lock up/down.
I have the door panel off and thought you'd just unscrew the white plastic thing from the metal rod that comes down from the lock handle, but it does not seem to want to come off...it just spins around and around. I'd like to get this thing off without being any more destructive than necessary in case I want power locks someday. The Haynes manual doesn't cover this at all.

Is there some trick to this?

Chad300tdt · #2 02-15-2008, 06:10 PM

Pull the vac lines out of the actuator so you aren't fighting the diaphram in it.

babymog · #3 02-15-2008, 06:55 PM

I don't know if it is the same as the 124 & 201, but they have a mushroom-type thing that you push down toward the actuator to release the metal rod.

Stevo · #4 02-15-2008, 07:01 PM

At least you know that actuator is good

Chad300tdt · #5 02-15-2008, 07:34 PM

I just remembered, that white piece on the top of the actuator rod is a clip that you need to "unsnap" to release it from the rod above. But opening the vacuum on both sides of the actuator will work too and you only need to do one door then.

Check the photo in this link and you will see what the connector looks like when it's open.

http://catalog.worldpac.com/mercedesshop/sophio/quote.jsp?clientid=catalog.mercedesshop&cookieid=29Y0IWSMD2AU16189F&baseurl=http://catalog.peachparts.com/&partner=mercedesshop&year=1982&product=O4010-44438&application=000023763

Biodiesel300TD · #6 02-15-2008, 09:43 PM

The white part is clipped onto the rod. You have to open the clip and then you can get the rod out. You can also pull the actuator with the rod attached. Thats usually how I pull them out.

pizzachef · #7 02-15-2008, 10:08 PM

On mine the connector at the actuator is a little different, I guess they varied from year to year or something. It has a collar around it that I had to pull down, then the rest of the connector kind of unfolded from around the rod in two halves.

herring · #8 03-05-2008, 11:27 PM

Even after unplugging the vacuum tubes leading into the actuator, the lock "rod" (thing that you pull/push on) would give a sort of long, gummy resistance to travel, either up or down. By chance I found that if I held the actuator down then the "rod" would "snap" back and forth (locked/unlocked). Since I don't intend to re-implement the vacuum lock system I just got some wire and tied the actuator in the down position. The door now works normally as a manual-lock system.