Around my part of the U.S. we have a chain of auto parts stores called Carquest. I can buy a sealed top, maintenance free battery in the Garden Tractor size (U1L12 with 325 cranking amp and 265 cold cranking amp) for $23.50 including tax. This is roughly 1/2 the price our local Lowe's wants for their brand equivalent. Our local wally world gets about $21.00 for their brand but it is not a sealed top, maintenance free battery. If you don't have Carquest specifically, at least check around in some of your local automotive parts stores. You don't have to go to a garden center type store to get a replacement battery for a garden tractor. You will be much happier with a sealed top, maintenance free battery than one that has the fill caps on top. (but you need to say you want a sealed top, maintenance free battery)

I bought a Sear's Die Hard for my GT5000..no problems

I did check out the Sears Die Hards and they were the Expensive batteries. ($44 to $50)
We have a Costco in our area, but I don't know yet if they carry the tractor batteries.
They do carry Kirkland auto batteries.
Thanks for the tip on the auto stores as we have AutoZone, Kragens, Napa, and Carquest here in Southern California.
My calls for a U1R.

Lawn and Garden tractor batteries usually come in 4 different ratings - all in the same sized battery case. Ratings are approximate.
180 cold cranking amps
230 cold cranking amps
300 cold cranking amps
340 cold cranking amps

Batteries that are vented through removable battery caps are likely to develop corrosion on the battery terminals. The sealed batteries are vented differently and do not develop the corrosion on battery terminals. Sealed batteries are usually higher priced than the batteries with the removable caps.

With the larger engines such as your 25 hp Kohler, the 300 or 340 cold cranking amp battery has more capacity and will most likely last longer than the batteries with lower cold cranking amp ratings. If your tractor runs out of fuel, the higher rating battery will crank the engine longer to pick up fuel.

The lower rating batteries are more suitable for the single cylinder engines. Concerning the sealed versus non sealed batteries, would you rather have a battery that corrodes or a battery that does not corrodes - but costs an additional $5.00?

Buy a high priced lawn tractor and then bi tch about a $50.00 battery...

OK..

larryf, thanks for the great post. Very helpful and it looks like the 340 CCA is the one I will go for. I don't use the tractor that much and I'm in an area where the temps can run from 17 to over a 100 degrees. I still have the original battery and it was dead the other day. I put it on the charger and it took a charge and has stated OK all this week, however I intend to replace it anyway. The battery does not have any specs written on it such as CCA's etc. Just says DieHard. The tractor will be 2 years old next month. Has 11 hours on it.
hippy, I got a heck of deal on the tractor.
now I'm looking for a heck of deal on a battery.

If you have an Advance Auto near you they have a good Lawn&
garden battery (300cca, I think) for around $26. Bought one just last weekend.

You can also take your old one in and have it tested right there to be sure it'll take a charge.

U could take a different route if U plan on keeping that
GT5000 for a while, get one of the quality sealed
lead-acid batteries like a YUASA or the like.. They cost
a bundle, probably around $100-120 depending on the size,
but a bargain in the long run as they last about 10 yrs...
The one in my old GT is over 9 yrs old, the new ZTR will
get one too as soon as the original craps out...
Paul R...

You might think you should get what you pay for but that's not always true with batteries. I bought those Yuasa batteries for my jet skis and they lasted one season and puked in both skis!
I have used Interstate and Exide for years in my vehicles and they will generally give you 5 years no problems. I've got one right now in my 2006 car that is original and works as good as the day I bought the car new.
I think the maintainence free are the best because you don't need to do anything. Some of the others require adding.......??? The next big debate, acid or distilled water?? Some say never add anything but acid while others say just the opposite!
I have deep cycles in my boat and as far as I'm concerned, a good quality Interstate will provide just as much reliability at half the price! Just a sales gimmic!
Now, we can be assured the Chinese are shipping in their junk so it's no wonder they only last one season! Chinese build junk and our GLOBALIST want you to spend.......spend.........spend!!!

Walmart has them. 340cca. I have a gt5000 with 27 hp. B&