Replacement battery to fit oem battery box

When the Magna Power ETX12 AGM battery in my 4-1200 bit the bullet after only 2 years, I naturally searched here for alternatives that would fit within the oem battery box. There weren't any specific recommendations, so here's what I did. Maybe it will help you out.

First, if it saves you a trip to the hanger, the flat floor of the battery tray between the raised edge lips is 6-5/8" x 4-3/8" and accommodates the oem 6-1/2" x 4-1/4" o.d. poly battery box.

Second, there are no appropriate Odyssey AGM batteries that will slip directly into the oem battery box and allow use of the box cover for terminal protection. The only two Odyssey options that fit into the oem battery box, with a slight battery modification, but are too tall to allow use of the box cover. are the PC535 and PC625. Both are 6.70L" x 3.90"W. The only size difference is the height, 6.24" vs. 6.95" respectively.

Obviously, the other specs differ on these two choices (compare HERE), however, both are rated 200CCA. So I chose the PC535 because it is over 1lb. lighter and the price a little easier to swallow. Plus, it afforded better specs overall vs. my old battery, which seemed quite sufficient until it fizzled. Either Odyssey battery is -very- close to being a 'drop-in' replacement to fit in the oem battery box, however, minor modifications will be required.

Basically, you must trim the fins on each end of the battery slightly. A few minutes with a razor knife worked well for me. Just remove ~1/8" from each end for ~1/4" total. It is not necessary to trim the battery case itself in any way, and this little haircut will have no effect on the battery operation (we motorcycle guys have been doing this for years). If you trim the side fins up to the battery case cover flange, the battery will now sit within and rest on it's own weight right on the bottom of the oem battery case. Battery is tight in the box and the box will not slide due to the tray lips when strapped in.

Attached pics explain best.

P.S. - here's a great link that shows the private label names each manufacturer sells under: http://jgdarden.com/batteryfaq/batbrand.htm