Warn Industries, a name synonymous with American ingenuity and manufacturing, began producing the first recreational winch back in 1959. Since then, consumer-grade winches have grown into a valuable tool, aiding in countless self-recoveries and contributing to many vehicles solo-loaded onto trailers. Over the years, Warn has become a brand highly trusted by those who venture out alone or need an occasional helping hand. Warn also has the guts and a 12,000 pound capacity model for HD / diesel truck winch needs.
| warn Zeon Winch winch Cutaway
With recent debuts, such as the VR-series of winches and Spydura synthetic rope, Warn is in the throws of a product renaissance. We were recently invited up to Warn’s Oregon headquarters to check out the company’s latest volley in a product onslaught: the Zeon line of winches. Completely reengineered from the ground up, Zeon was designed to bring next-generation style, innovation, and performance to Warn’s winch family.
While you can think of many adjectives to describe Warn’s previous winches (popular, practical, and reliable all come to mind), stylish probably isn’t at the top of the list. Zeon changes that with a unique, symmetrical design that melds the classic winch function with contemporary styling that Warn says looks more at home on today’s vehicles. Every Zeon winch uses a durable, all-aluminum housing that sheds heat and enhances strength and durability while saving weight over conventional winches. Zeon winches come from the factory with a resilient black-satin finish and stainless steel hardware, which limits corrosion, ensuring the winch will continue looking good for years to come. A diesel truck winch that looks good to boot!
Perhaps the most innovative feature of the Zeon is a convertible control pack that can be mounted remotely, or kept in its factory location for a sleek, integrated look. The control pack houses a contactor that better resists extreme weather, adding another element to the reliability equation.
| warn Zeon Winch winch With Control Pack On And Off
An all-new aluminum drum has been upsized to reduce wear on the winch rope, and it dissipates heat much faster than an industry-standard steel drum, which is critical for those running synthetic rope. The drum also uses an integrated rope anchor that better secures the rope, making for easier and quicker replacement.
Inside, the Zeon is not your typical Warn winch. With redesigned mechanicals that improve efficiency and reduce noise, the Zeon is notably fast, while keeping noise down. The new motor is not an off-the-shelf component, but rather a custom design that is built to Warn’s specifications. It maximizes line speed while drawing less amps and is paired with a stouter, three-stage planetary geartrain that provides better pulling performance and durability. The clutch is also new and uses an easy-throw stainless steel clutch lever to eliminate the binding and recalcitrant engagement sometimes experienced with current winches. Better load control and security comes from an automatic mechanical brake that is rated to hold the full load of the winch.
The guts of the Zeon are encased in a new housing that eschews exposed wires and better seals pathways that could allow the outside elements to get inside. All Zeon winches meet the stringent IP68 sealing standard, which requires the unit to be dust-tight and offer protection against complete submersion in water.
| An optional control pack relocation kit makes remote-mounting the integrated control pack easy.
We spent a day in the Oregon countryside experiencing the Zeon firsthand. Warn had several stations set up that showcased this new winch in various situations, from recovery and trailer loading to fence building. Observing the Zeon in its element allowed us to understand just how much of an upgrade the Zeon is over the line it replaces, and we are guessing some of these important innovations and stouter internals will eventually make their way into Warn’s premium line of winches.
Zeon winches, like all Warn winches, come with a limited lifetime warranty on mechanical parts, and a one-year warranty on electrical components. The Zeon is available in three capacities: 8,000 pounds, 10,000 pounds, and 12,000 pounds for your diesel truck winch needs. The Zeon 8, 10, and 12 come standard with wire rope, while the Zeon 8-S and 10-S are loaded from the factory with Warn’s Spydura synthetic rope, saving approximately 15 pounds of weight.
So if you’re wondering, like we were, how Warn came to settle on the name Zeon, we asked Warn’s president, John Stransky, that very question. He jokingly replied that Zeon was the mythological “god of pulling.” While he may have gotten a good laugh from the attendees, after seeing the Zeon in action, we can tell you it’s one serious piece of hardware that ushers in a new era in Warn winches. Our diesel rigs can pull a lot of weight -- as such, our diesel truck winch options should do the same.
