My battery storage bay is pretty tight as well, a common design by most RV manufacturers. No biggie as we have installed watering system that does not overfill battery cells, which is the main culprit leading to excessive corrosion of battery posts. We average 8 years on our GC2 batteries from Samclub regardless of labeling, don't plan on purchasing any newer tech batteries until prices are comparable. For the 15 minutes I spend on watering/cleaning batteries twice a year, I am able to purchase a new set for less $$$ than fuel for a single RVing trip, hard to beat for 8 years of reliable 12 volt reserves.