Adding a keyless sensor to lock & unlock from the tailgate handle?

Anybody know of a way to add a keyless sensor to lock & unlock all the doors and tailgate when your at the tailgate? It would be nice to be able to lock & unlock from the tailgate instead of having to walk up to the front doors. Any recommendations or how to go about doing this mod or is even possible. Any help would greatly be appreciated.

 

If you have the electronic tailgate lock (OEM or Pop N Lock) you can unlock the gate from the fob.

 

Yeah that’s the way I’ve been locking & unlocking it. It would be nice when I have fishing waders or a jacket on that I don’t have to pull the keys out.

 

The idea was talked about recently within the past year. Nothing on the market that I've seen. Probably a few ways to do it but all custom.

Unless you use the FOB to unlock, technically the truck doesn't unlock until you touch the front doors (driver or passenger) and the FOB is within proximity. Also the tailgate handle isn't touch sensitive.

The simplist way would be to add a hidden physical switch or low draw motion sensor wired to the door unlock/lock circuit but this approach would open up security issues if people discovered the switch. You want the switch to be active only when the FOB is nearby.

From what I recall, one of the issues is the FOB isn't detected from the rear of the truck so you would need a range extender/booster to let the truck know you are in the vicinity.

 

I wonder if I were to take a donor front door handle and harvest the touch pad and incorporate it into the tailgate handle if that would work? Wonder if is still run into a proximity issue unless I was to add another proximity sensor towards the back, what are your thought? Thanks!

 

What year is your truck?
Does it already have the touch unlock on the front doors?

 

2020 & yes it has touch lock, unlock on both front doors.

 

You can test the FOB sensor proximity by moving the key towards the cab until the doors unlock. I think it is biased to the driver side slightly so test both sides

As far as harvesting it is unnecessary unless you want touch capability with your tailgate but you don't need it to enable what you are trying to do.You really only need to trigger the door unlock circuit.

I also doubt it will be easy to integrate the harvested parts but I haven't seen the internals of the door handles. Gutting the door handles may not work since certain door handle materials need to be used for touch sensitive surfaces. I suspect you'll be better off looking to integrate touch sensitivity some other way using standalone parts that are more accommodating to the form factor and space available if the handle sensors are too big.

 

What about hooking up this

$16 RACBOX LED Light Bar Wireless Remote Control Switch On/Off Strobe Flash for Bar Light Work Light Wiring Harness

wireless switch to the tailgate actuator then you'd only have to clamp this small fob to your fishing vest or hat?

 

Yes. Simple is always better less prone to issues.