*This article was originally created by Daniel@dnlfry. All the photos and content are authorized by Daniel.
Editor Foreword:
Two weeks ago, Abe A@Caliguy tested our Jeep switch panel, compared it with the Voswitch brand, and shared his unbiased review with us. If you are interested, you can click here to read the article.
This week we had another Jeep owner Daniel@dnlfry review our Jeep switch panel and he tried to install and test our product on JLs with manual transmissions, what a challenging idea! Let's see if he succeeds finally.
NOTE: We usually do not recommend applying our system to manual transmissions in case of any potential risks caused by improper operation.
Disclosures:
Hello guys! This is Daniel here!
LASFIT recently posted about having some JLwrangler forum members review their switch panel. I emailed them on a whim and ended up getting one of the panels sent to me for review. LASFIT sent the panel to review at no cost to me. LASFIT made it clear they wanted honest, real world feedback on the panel, installation, and use. They especially wanted to know about things that could be improved. This is not a sponsored or paid post by LASFIT.
Vehicle:
2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited With Manual Transmissions
Purchase Item:
Lasfit Switch Panel KIT A (Black Switch)
The @Lasfit website states their switch panel is not compatible with the JLs equipped with the manual transmission. After doing some research and checking with their tech support, the only reason it’s not compatible is due to not having an easy way through the firewall. I guess the JLs with automatic transmissions have a rubber grommet in the driver-side firewall that is removed and replaced with a grommet provided in the kit. There is a relatively easy way into the cab for Jeeps that come from the factory with the MT, which I used for the installation. Pictures are included below. Since I have a Rubicon, I installed Kit A.
Packaging:
For starters, I thought the panel was very well-packaged and thoughtfully put together. It contained all parts I needed for the installation. I used one extra zip tie, but that was honestly just overkilled on my part. I wouldn’t say it was a necessary part that was missing. Could just be me, but in my experience, the companies that put a lot of thought into the simple things tend to put a lot of thought into the bigger things. No corners were cut by LASFIT.
Installation:
As mentioned before, my JL has the manual transmission. I previously installed some KC Hilites C2 pods as backup lights. For those, I ran the switch wires into the cab on the passenger side the same way I am about to describe for the driver side. No issues whatsoever with water intrusion last time so I decided to route the wires in a similar fashion on the driver side. The box and wires were all ran to the driver side of the engine bay, securing them with zip ties underneath a few clips in the engine bay.
Once I got to the driver side, I popped off the cowl cover and ran the wires through there and underneath the window to get into the cab.
Once inside the cab, I ran the wires underneath the dash speaker. I had to fold the window down a bit and remove the dash speaker to do this. Meant to take more pictures of this part of the process, but you get the idea. From there, it was pretty straight forward to just pull the wires underneath the steering wheel and over to the dash. I decided to run the relay wires to the driver's side kick panel. You have the little panel for when you take the doors off. The panel is easy to remove in case you need to get to the relay wires later.
I mounted the relay connector behind the panel underneath the steering wheel. It was a convenient place to secure the wires and I wanted it easily visible should I need to disconnect the panel in the future for some reason. Used zip ties and electric tape to keep it away from the steering wheel and prevent rattling.
Conclusion:
Nothing major to note with the rest of the install. The switch panel looks factory in color, feel, shape, etc. Overall, I would say it is a great option if your JL did not come from the factory with a panel. I have included a few pictures below. The only negative remark I can think of is the backlighting looks very, very slightly different than the rest of the dash. It does not bother me at all but I figured I would mention it since it might bother some folks. I tried my best to get a good picture of the difference, but it was a little hard to capture.
UPDATE:
I communicated with a LASFIT staff member following my observations noted above about the backlighting. They asked some additional questions to gather information for their R&D department. This looks to be something they want to address in their design process so it may not be an issue for others. (It’s worth noting that I have not read of anyone else noticing the difference in backlighting for the auxiliary panel, isolated to my panel and/or dash.) The LASFIT staff seem genuinely motivated to continue improving their product. My already positive impressions of the company have improved the more I have interacted with them and witnessed their motivation to provide reliable, easy to install, affordable aftermarket solutions.
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