tailgate lock actuator: pop rivet? boot?

[BerniniCaCO3]

Hi!

So I'm preparing to experiment on my tailgate lock actuator, and if it works out, move on to the one in the right rear door (which still works 85%).

But I'm stymied on the first step! hahaha.
The actuator is easy to see and get to in the tailgate, anyway, haven't looked at the doors yet; and it's held in with a single pop rivet, that connects to a white plastic bracket, which holds the actuator (which can swivel in the bracket, minutely).

I figured, take a punch, punch out the rivet, good to go right?
There's no way that with the punch going in an inch, I haven't gotten the middle out. But the plastic bracket still won't come free.
What am I missing?
Mind you, I've never ever undone rivets before, so I could be overlooking something really simple. Seemed to me that punch out the middle, the whole assembly should just come free of the door sheet metal....


Second question.
As either gadget or 1990ltd forewarned, the boot, is, indeed, wasted. Happens to rubber after 20 years. It would suggest that as a rubber part, it's just a matter of time before the others follow in rapid succession.

Any idea where to get a replacement boot, or, how to fashion something that ought to work? Maybe pack it with wheel bearinggrease and then some saran wrap-- hahaha. But seriously-- maybe something at home depot will be similar, just a flexible rubber plunger, and then I can cobble a way to glue it to the shaft and to the body of the actuator.

[gadget73]

punch out the pin in the center of the rivet, then take a drill and drill the head off. The pin doesn't actually hold things together, its just used for installation. Once you have the parts in your hand, you'll understand how it works.

However, if you're careful you can pull the actuator in and out of that bracket without having to remove the rivet. This works better if you have the metal brackets. The plastic ones break sometimes.