Hey everyone--
The installation/review article is now live on Trail4Runner.com.
Autoease Electric Powered Liftgate Review & Install for 5th Gen 4Runner
As for the Gobi ladder, you can see in my video in the article that I have it installed with an unfilled Rotopax and it works for me. They don't recommend any additional weight on the tailgate since they probably calibrate the lift speed and pressure based on a tailgate with nothing attached. I took the ladder off and it worked just as smoothly with it on.
I did try to open it driving through a parking lot at slow speeds and it would not open. I'm no expert, but my assumption is that because this kit taps into the lock/unlock wire, while the car is in anything but Park it won't allow you to unlock the gate. I could be wrong there and that may not be the way it works, but it wouldn't open while driving for me.
If you do wind up buying this kit, I highly suggest you refer to my article vs. the instructions included in the kit. I had the hardest time finding the right CANbus wires and where they say "run the wires through the liftgate", that is no simple task and we needed to put the wire fish I had to the test to make it work.
If you get one, hit me up with any install questions you have. I'm not normally the early adopter with this stuff but my girlfriend has the power liftgate on her Evoque and I've wanted one on my 4Runner ever since.