Warn 9.5cti or Zeon 10..??

Both great winches. Dont think you can really go wrong with either. That being said though the CTI is faster and the Zeon draws less amps.
 
Are they both waterproof?

I dont think either are "waterproof" but they are definitely both water resistant. Warns website says nothing about the Zeon being waterproof or anything even related to water resistance. The CTI however has this stated in the description "Extreme-duty winch sealing system" as for what that means compared to the Zeon I really dont know.
 
I dont think either are "waterproof" but they are definitely both water resistant. Warns website says nothing about the Zeon being waterproof or anything even related to water resistance. The CTI however has this stated in the description "Extreme-duty winch sealing system" as for what that means compared to the Zeon I really dont know.

I just saw the zeon has -Extreme waterproofing meets rigorous IP68 standards-

IP68 standards-Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion over 1m up to a specified pressure. says google.
 
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It's a nice winch. Love the thought of a wireless remote, but that's also what scares me about it. Between that and the electric clutch...I think I'll let them stay out for awhile longer. Just that much more to go wrong. My Zeon 10s will be fine for now and $500 cheaper.
 
It's a nice winch. Love the thought of a wireless remote, but that's also what scares me about it. Between that and the electric clutch...I think I'll let them stay out for awhile longer. Just that much more to go wrong. My Zeon 10s will be fine for now and $500 cheaper.

Good point. I guess the warranty would be key. They are a 2 year on electronics? Why did you go for the zeon over the 9.5 CTI?
 
I was planning on getting a zeon but ended up getting a good deal on a 9.5. It currently has steal cable. It pulls the line a lot faster the zeon (my friend has the zeon). However the clutch is a very small handle which makes it slight hard to turn. You can't go wrong with either.
 
Both the Zeon and Zeon Platinum are IP68 rated for dust and waterproofness. I found this vid from SEMA 2012 (when the Zeon was first revealed) where the Warn rep talks about it (about 50 seconds in).

https://youtu.be/_6XadtHjzLY

I don't know if the 9.5CTI was ever IP rated, but it is a Warn, so I doubt it would be too bad.

There has been a couple other threads comparing these two with more good info. I'll see if I can find one.
 
This might have been the thread I was thinking about, but I thought there was a longer one:

http://wayalife.com/showthread.php?t=28146

These are the differences between the 9.5 CTI-s and Zeon 10-s that I found (I think most of them have been mentioned already):

- Design: The Zeon is wider and is a centred setup, while the CTI is off centre. That might bug you if you have OCD, but more importantly it means the Zeon won't fit in as many bumpers. You can relocate the control pack from the top of the Zeon (to mount it under the hood etc), but that really isn't necessary on a Jeep bumper unless you want to give it a low profile look.

- Raiting: The Zeon has a 10000 lbs raiting, while the CTI is 9500 lbs. Both will be powerful enough for a JKU.

- Line Speed: The CTI is a bit faster.

- Amp Draw: The Zeon has a slightly lower power draw.

- Waterproofness: The Zeon is IP68, CTI is unknown.

- Thermal Indicator: The CTI has something for this. IIRC, it's just a warning light on the winch controller. The Zeon doesn't have an indicator.

I was having a tough time choosing between these too, until the Zeon Platinum came out. It is as good or better than the best stats of both the other winches. Plus, it has a great cordless remote with the clutch control built in, displays winch temp and battery voltage on the screen, and can even control two accessories. Only downside is it costs around 50% more than the others. If I didn't get the Platinum, I'd probably have bought the older Zeon.
 
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How important is it for a winch to be waterproof? What kind of environments should one need a waterproof winch?

In New England there will be salt exposure unless removed from the jeep for the winter. A ton of it dissolved in melted snow/slush/water gets splashed everywhere and some will inevitably make it to the winch even when covered. Otherwise I would not see much of an issue with the waterproofing over water resistant. You are lucky with the weather in NV and won't have the evil salt problems we do :yup:
 
I got the cti s and was really pleased. Zeon wouldn't fit in my ARB stubby without a lot of cutting from what I read. So I went with the cti s. Bolted right on with only a small amount of trimming. Line speed is awesome. Noise is minimal. And it looks balanced in the bumper (not too obviously offset). Wheeling in october at hidden falls so may get a chance to use it. Especially since I'm stock for the most part. For me it was more a question of fitment. Would have loved the zeon but it was too large and a bit heavier too. Like that the cti s weighs less.
 
Good point. I guess the warranty would be key. They are a 2 year on electronics? Why did you go for the zeon over the 9.5 CTI?

I honestly never even considered the cti. I just couldn't justify the extra cost over the Zeon (before I even knew about the Mopar deal). My decision had always been between a PowerPlant and the Zeon. I finally chose the Zeon because it was centered, good price, and I'm going to run an ARB twin.

Edit: I don't know about the electronics warranty with Warn. I'd have to look that up or call. I know it says Limited Lifetime?
 
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How important is it for a winch to be waterproof? What kind of environments should one need a waterproof winch?

For most people it's probably just a nice to have, but it could help extend the life of the winch. I'm pretty sure a friend of mine's Superwinch died because of mud and water that got into it, which damaged it over time. You don't have to worry about this so much if it's waterproof, though if it's not you could probably make up for that by maintaining it a bit more dilligently.

I'd only say you need a waterproof winch if you're likely to get stuck in mud holes, muskeg, swamps, ect and may have to run the winch while immersed in water. And even then, I'd try another option first (i.e. have a buddy tow or winch you out).


To me, it was worth the extra piece of mind to get a water proof winch, just because there is less that could go wrong with it.
 
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