This is almost certainly not going to come off easy - there will be potential paint damage from the adhesive and almost certainly paint damage from the contact points at the top lip and where the feet are on the bottom. Still a much better solution than drilling holes in your lift gate and praying you can get them water tight.
I hate mine. The rear hatch doesn’t open correctly and after 5 months there is a hole in the top plate from rust… I contacted the owner. He said to put touch up paint… on a hole. I would steer clear.
Great video and awesome install! Mine should be showing up soon for my Forester so just wanted to see what the process would be like. I agree the price was a bit more than I would like but i don't mind supporting a smaller shop and I don't really like the tube style of the Gobi ladder. This was a really helpful video!
Thank you! I personally like the tubular Gobi style (would better match my roof rack) but from a fabrication perspective and I can see where this would be much easier to build
@@baileycarroll8460 Yup, I have it on my 18 Forester premium and I use it all the time. I like to sit on top of it once in a while and I also use it to help set up and close my roof top tent. Super sturdy and easy to install
It’s funny that the ladder has so many steps as if they are all to be stepped on. I watched this videos because it would be the first time I see someone attempt to climb up there and you did
The CNC version overwhelms the Outback hatch struts. Now I’m in search of stronger struts if anyone know a source. Don’t get me wrong, I love the product. It looks awesome and works as it’s supposed to. I just wish the supplier also offered upgraded struts so it wouldn’t have to be a problem that needed a solution.
I've had mine on for more than a year and the struts seem to be holding well (I open/close the hatch at least 2-4x every week), but I can definitely see where stronger ones might help. When I hit 100K miles later this month, I may consider simply replacing them with new OEM ones.
Looks good indeed, but the question is why do you need to climb on top of the outback when you can simply step on the rear wheel and be able to access everything on the roof rack.
Certainly a valid question! I was skeptical at first, but it’s been very helpful to have a stable rear access point for my roof basket when tying down items and when accessing the interior of my Subaru clamshell rooftop carrier (when I have it mounted.)
It looks good, but I see a dangerous application here. There's no bolts holding it down. It could work it's way loose going down the highway or while climbing. You might want to increase your auto insurance coverage, for when this thing flies through someone's windshield.
Good news - the top wraps over the door in such a way that it literally cannot become detached! It really is remarkably sturdy. I have it on for nearly 2 years now and had zero issues.
Still love it! I use it to access the roof rack and/or clamshell carrier all the time. Yes, you can *usually* stand in the doorway of one of the rear doors, but sometimes the ladder is the best for reaching/tying down things.
The CNC version overwhelms the hatch struts. Aluminum would be better. Now I’m in search of stronger struts if anyone know a source. Don’t get me wrong, I love the product. It looks awesome and works as it’s supposed to. I just wish the supplier also offered upgraded struts so it wouldn’t have to be a problem that needed a solution.
No problem whatsoever. Some folks on the forums have wondered that the additional weight might could wear out the motor or struts more quickly over time, but I don't open my hatch all that often so i'm not particularly worried about it.
I haven't seen one, but I wish they did. That's my only mild criticism of this ladder is that I prefer the look of round tube rungs vs the L-shaped ones. However, I suspect these flat ones are stronger and more comfortable than round would be.
Cool mod! Nice video. What washer did you use for that recovery tow hook to keep it in place? looks like you have two sandwiching it. I couldn't find anything in local shops. I would appreciated it you can let me know where to purchase them. Thx Andy
Hi John! I just went to my local Lowe's and found some 3/4" rubber washers. The tow hook is also coated in Plasti-Dip which helps provide some friction.
Andy how did you account for the extra weight of the ladder and did you need to adjust the rear lift gate so it won’t close on its own verses staying open or up?
Hi Andy and friendly eyeballs, are there any manufacturers that make a running board for our outback? As it stands the stick 8.6” clearance is already causing me some challenges getting in and out. I was thinking of adding another 2” via a lift kit to clear even more terrain as well as add more pop to the car.
Hi Andy, I just got the ladder too, but it seems too heavy and the trunk seems like can’t handle it, so the trunk fall off when climb to top, just wondering do U have the same issue
It’s a ladder, so you can, you know, climb on it. (As I do in the video.) Helpful for reaching things on the roof, especially when I have my clamshell roof carrier.
@@helloandymoore oh ok thanks. I did watch the video. I thought you recommended against using it for climbing unless you're in a pinch. I used to drive a lifted wrx with big tires so I think all the new off roady Subaru stuff is cool to see gain popularity
Still great. I use it to access the roof rack and/or clamshell carrier all the time. Yes, you can usually stand in the doorway of one of the rear doors, but sometimes the ladder is the best for reaching/tying down things. Liftgate struts seem to be holding well (I open/close the hatch at least 2-4x every week), but I can definitely see where stronger ones might help. When I hit 100K miles later this month, I may consider simply replacing them with new OEM ones.
@@helloandymoorefor me personally the only function I would use for this ladder will be to mount a 5lb propane tank to it. Have you experimented with that before???
No dimples, at last not yet! There doesn't seem to be much weight distributed to the bottom of the liftgate, and what pressure is applied is well dispersed between the two sides of the ladder, both of which are relatively flat & wide, so it's pretty evenly applied. Of course, I'm not climbing on it all that often; frequent usage may change that.
Still works! It’s always been a wee bit sluggish; I can’t tell if it’s any slower than it was previously. My wife drives a 2020 Ascent and hers opens so quickly it’s always made mine seem like a turtle.
I have the stock crossbars topped with a basket from Curt. It’s not my favorite aesthetically but it’s strong and more affordable than the others. You can buy it from Home Depot, Amazon, and lots of other places. (I bought mine from a friend who didn’t want it anymore, then added the extension to make it longer. I also recently coated it with Rustoleum spray-on bed liner because it was looking faded and starting to rust at some of the corners.)
It’s been really helpful when I have the rooftop cargo carrier installed, especially in rainy/snowy weather when I don’t want to have one of the vehicle doors open to the elements.
I mean, sure, unless you use it. But I do! In fact, just yesterday I used it to climb up and get a better angle to tie down some lumber to my roof basket. Also it looks cool, which is something.
