please help with my AU door lock

[bigrod]

Hi guys, My car 1999 Ford XR6 Au sed, rear left door lock. The door will not lock or unlock due to a little plastic gear that has broken in the electric box joined to the door lock. My question is, can I buy just the little long plastic gear part by its self or do I need to buy the electric box or what? How much will this cost ? I did email a ford branch and was told that i have to buy the whole lock and actuator at a price if $153 . i find it a rip off as the part i want to replace is worth 50 cents, its like having to buy a new car cause it has a broken head light..haha..has anyone else had this problem? wonder if i can get the little white plastic gear part from somewhere. Wreckers want $65 for a second hand unit but who knows how long it will last. i did try to super glue it but it broke.. any info would be fantastic.. thanks

Rod from Brisbane south.

Email rodnsue@optusnet.com.au

[coyote]

Have replaced a lot of these in yards, even the car yards generally buy the new one as the time in pulling it out and putting the new one isn't worth the hassels (45Min)
Have got several from wreckers that never even worked (they don't check) and you can not check until you put it in.
One thing to check before you put the new one in is that the lock button does not catch on the door trim, this is one of the prime causes of the worm gear spitting the dummy