5 ¾” Round Sealed Beam Halogen Bulbs Are Now Obsolete

That’s right, I said it. Manufacturing of 5 ¾” round sealed beam halogen bulbs has ceased. What does this mean for the trucking industry?

It means that all trucks that use dual 5 ¾” bulbs in their assemblies will have a more difficult time finding replacement bulbs. With 4 bulbs per truck, lifespan of the bulbs, and lack of production, you will need to consider replacements at some point. This leaves you with the following 3 options.

Option 1: Buy as many existing 5 ¾” sealed beam halogen bulbs as you can. You will need one H5001 and one H5006 bulb per assembly. GE and Sylvania may be options for bulb manufacturers. This option is quickly becoming less of an option as they become harder to find.

Option 2: Buy 5 ¾” incandescent bulbs. The incandescent bulbs are also sealed beams, so they will fit in your current assembly. There are differences between incandescent and halogen bulbs. Incandescent bulbs produce more of a yellow light and halogen bulbs produce more of a white light. Incandescent bulbs provide better visibility in rain, snow, and fog at night due to their yellower color. Incandescent bulbs are not as good on clear night, so there is a trade-off. Incandescent bulbs also have a longer life span.

Option 3: Upgrade to replaceable halogen bulbs. I discussed this option a few months back when I compared them to LED lights. Replaceable halogen bulbs are significantly brighter than sealed beams due to the reflector built into the bulb which projects the light beam further down the road. The bulbs are also replaceable since they are a standard 9007 bulb. Choosing this option requires an entire assembly replacement because the standard assembly does not have enough room to accommodate the 9007 bulb. The upgraded assembly allows for the 9007 bulbs to fit, it is the same size assembly as the originals, but with deeper buckets. The new assembly includes a new bezel, cable, and bulbs. Another benefit is that you can put any 9007 bulb in, meaning that you can install long-life replacement bulbs that give you 2,000 hours of life. That’s longer than the incandescent bulb.

I have not mentioned LED lights as an option at this time since this currently not an option. There are rumblings of manufacturers pursuing LED technology in a 5 ¾” round.

At the end of the day, the option you choose when your bulb burns out really depends on what you’re doing with your truck. If you are a daily driver, want the brighter lights, and a readily available replacement; this is your opportunity to upgrade your assemblies to a replaceable halogen. Replaceable halogen bulbs are the next upgrade to get brighter lights on the road without destroying your wallet.

If you do not want to change your entire assembly because it is still good or it is a showpiece for an ATHS show and it is not a daily driver, then find a couple H5001 and H5006 bulbs and snatch up a few. If you are going that route, do it quickly, you may not find those bulbs in a year.

While we do not carry any more halogen sealed beam 5 ¾” bulbs and are unable to get them, you can visit our website for assemblies with 5 ¾” incandescent bulbs as well as replaceable halogen bulb assemblies and individual bulbs.