Red tail lamp and brake light bulbs
#1
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
Red tail lamp and brake light bulbs
1995-2000 LS400 (1990-1994?) use clear 7440 and 7443 incandescent bulbs as rear turn signal and brake lamps .
Using clear bulbs behind red lenses casts a more pinkish tone than true red coloration.
Fitted red silicone bulb filters over T 3-1/4 rear corner bulbs worked well, but now contrasts with the T 6- 1/4 size 7440 and 7443 bulbs in lense coloration, with no availability of T 6-1/4 red silicone bulb color filters....so colored lamps.
As an aside....when LEDs are used, for best results, it is not recommended to use a white LED behind a red or an amber lens, which explains why amber and red LEDs are offered..(yet OEM's , with few exceptions, used uncolored incandescent bulbs behind amber and red lenses)
Interested in member recommendations for a stateside supplier of red 7440 and 7443 bulbs..(.before LED's hese would be used behind clear taillamp assemblies.)
Some images below of a UK supplier...
Perhaps an OEM auto manufacturer used red 7440 and 7443 incandescents but am unaware of any....this would be preferable to aftermarket.
Not interested in using LED's at this time, thank you very much.
Using clear bulbs behind red lenses casts a more pinkish tone than true red coloration.
Fitted red silicone bulb filters over T 3-1/4 rear corner bulbs worked well, but now contrasts with the T 6- 1/4 size 7440 and 7443 bulbs in lense coloration, with no availability of T 6-1/4 red silicone bulb color filters....so colored lamps.
As an aside....when LEDs are used, for best results, it is not recommended to use a white LED behind a red or an amber lens, which explains why amber and red LEDs are offered..(yet OEM's , with few exceptions, used uncolored incandescent bulbs behind amber and red lenses)
Interested in member recommendations for a stateside supplier of red 7440 and 7443 bulbs..(.before LED's hese would be used behind clear taillamp assemblies.)
Some images below of a UK supplier...
Perhaps an OEM auto manufacturer used red 7440 and 7443 incandescents but am unaware of any....this would be preferable to aftermarket.
Not interested in using LED's at this time, thank you very much.
Last edited by YODAONE; 02-07-18 at 08:36 PM.
#2
Moderator
iTrader: (7)
I used colored bulbs before, and it could just be due to some cheap china made bulbs, but over time the red color burned off and eventually turned pink.
I feel colored bulbs are only good for signal lights which are not constantly on so they don't discolor as fast as brake lights.
what's good is if you just install red bulbs with the OE lenses, when they discolor it won't really matter too much anyway.
here is clear lights (with slight smoke tint on the lenses) with red bulbs when i first installed them. they turned pink within a week so i converted to LED bulbs.
I feel colored bulbs are only good for signal lights which are not constantly on so they don't discolor as fast as brake lights.
what's good is if you just install red bulbs with the OE lenses, when they discolor it won't really matter too much anyway.
here is clear lights (with slight smoke tint on the lenses) with red bulbs when i first installed them. they turned pink within a week so i converted to LED bulbs.
#3
Lexus Champion
Thread Starter
I used colored bulbs before, and it could just be due to some cheap china made bulbs, but over time the red color burned off and eventually turned pink.
I feel colored bulbs are only good for signal lights which are not constantly on so they don't discolor as fast as brake lights.
what's good is if you just install red bulbs with the OE lenses, when they discolor it won't really matter too much anyway.
here is clear lights (with slight smoke tint on the lenses) with red bulbs when i first installed them. they turned pink within a week so i converted to LED bulbs.
I feel colored bulbs are only good for signal lights which are not constantly on so they don't discolor as fast as brake lights.
what's good is if you just install red bulbs with the OE lenses, when they discolor it won't really matter too much anyway.
here is clear lights (with slight smoke tint on the lenses) with red bulbs when i first installed them. they turned pink within a week so i converted to LED bulbs.
The plan is to use OEM lenses with red lacquer sprayed or dipped bulbs.to reduce the white - red confluence that gives pink cast to taillight and brakelight lenses.
I considered using Sylvania brand (Country of origin?) 7440A and 7443A incandescents...the A suffix is "Amber"....This is much closer to red color spectrum than a.clear bulb and readily available at parts stores, however red can be procured...or produced.
As automotive OEMs discontinue(d) manufacture of incandescent bulbs in favor of LED's then China is fielding the gap.
I really miss the German and Japanese brands..
LED's might be a future option, but to do it right (from my perspective) requires considerable time.
Still attempting to find a plug and play improvement over 7440 reverse lamps...
The blue tint that Sylvania applies to their premium priced bulbs is akin to a white correcting blue color filter, so perceived whiter light and legitimate (however silicone color filters are superior )
Last edited by YODAONE; 02-08-18 at 02:10 PM.
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