Given the very few youtube and instructional posts on replacing these, I assume door lock actuators are a relatively rare occurrence. In the one good video I saw, the guy removed all the rods from the door handles first, which involved removing both door handles. This is one reason I waited this long to do the job. I didn't want to have to remove so much stuff.
When I got into it, you don't need to remove door handles at all. You can pop off the rods from the actuator/lock assembly first, then remove the assembly. Then you must remove two small screws that hold the actuator to the lock mechanism, carefully cut and remove the security sensor, and glue it onto the new actuator. Once the glue dries (I used JBWeld), you just screw the lock mechanism to the new actuator, and reinstall it into the door.
If anyone is interested, I took pictures and can post a more clear set of instructions.
When I got into it, you don't need to remove door handles at all. You can pop off the rods from the actuator/lock assembly first, then remove the assembly. Then you must remove two small screws that hold the actuator to the lock mechanism, carefully cut and remove the security sensor, and glue it onto the new actuator. Once the glue dries (I used JBWeld), you just screw the lock mechanism to the new actuator, and reinstall it into the door.
If anyone is interested, I took pictures and can post a more clear set of instructions.