Otterbox Defender and Extended Battery Mod, (cutting required)

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Ok, so this is my first thread on these forums. If I'm breaking the rules or posting incorrectly, etc. Please let me know how to fix it.

I went ahead and got all the measurements off of various sites before I attempted this. I lost the paper I wrote the dimensions on. But this does work. I used an exacto knife, old pair of wire cutters and a file. I wish I had a dremel to do this, It would've been a lot cleaner and more exact.

I ordered an OEM Thunderbolt Extended Battery, Otterbox Defender Case, and a Zagg Screen Protector. I've been using this setup for a month now and am very pleased.

I spent $65 total on amazon.com and zagg.com for everything.

I first laid the battery in the battery cover and scored the edges. I pushed through it on one corner than began to cut. I filed down the edges. I then laid the cover in the Otterbox case and scored the outline. Then I ran the exacto back and forth for quite a while until I got through on one edge, than began to cut.

Here are my results. I know the images aren't the best quality. I haven't bought a new camera since before I've had my first android.

I peeled a bit of the padding out of the back of the Otterbox case and put it on the battery just to see how much it would push out the silicon cover, not much.

Now I am going to double-side tape the left over rectangle of the battery cover to the battery and get some weather stripping and place it on top of that.

The Zagg and the Otterbox mate well at first, eventually they begin to separate around the edges, I used the spray between them that came with the Zagg shield. The Zagg stays in place though. I haven't noticed any dust or debris since it's started. So far over this month they've stayed together in the center. I don't mind it as I am pretty hard on my phones physically and usage wise. It's hard to tell when the screen is actually on.























If you have any questions that I haven't answered, just let me know.

Thanks for looking.

How well has this been working for you? I have been planning on doing the same thing.

Sent from my rooted slightly modified Rezound using XDA

That's really, really cool. I approve, great job!

I did something similar with my trident kraken case. I was going to get this otterbox but I didn't because trident has a better selection of colors and so far its been great.

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using xda premium

I saw on htcpedia that you can actually use the Defender case without the back plastic piece. Just wrap the silicone outer cover around the phone with just the front plastic on. Haven't tried it but their video shows that it seems to fit perfect.

Sent from my DROID3 using Tapatalk 2

The problem with doing that is the phone will not fit in the holster screen out and the volume buttons are way to sensitive. If you cut the otter box back and the standard battery door everything fits nearly prefect.

Sent from my rooted slightly modified Rezound using XDA

I believe that also voids your (lifetime) warranty. Commuter cases are better anyway, but that's just me..

*Sent...*

You should read the fine print. Its hardly a lifetime warranty. In fact is only for a year. And if you have a flaw within that year, they will only replace it once. Besides, how many things can really go wrong with a phone case? Once it breaks, your probably ready for a different one anyway.

Sent from my rooted slightly modified Rezound using XDA

Just did this last night....and I agree, would be much easier with a dremel. I'm going to borrow a friends to smooth the cuts, but so far, it works like a champ. I used an OEM Rezound extended battery though

Sent from my WabiSabiGeek'd out Transformer Prime using the Interweb

Thanks for the pics and info for this MOD I did it a few days ago and I love it you can't even tell that I added the extended battery. I picked up a battery from Verizon website on sale for 29.99 plus my 18% off. Worked out great.