How to Choose a Tub Grinder

When customers ask us which tub grinder we recommend, we usually want to know what they are grinding, what they want the finished material to look like, and how much they need to process in a normal day. Dry hay at a medium grind is a very different job from damp cornstalks, wet forage, or a ration that needs a finer and more consistent particle size. The same grinder can run at very different rates as those conditions change.

Our online tub grinder lineup includes the Roto Grind 760 and 1090 and the Haybuster H-1135. Keast Enterprises also represents the broader Haybuster tub grinder line. The Roto Grind 760 and 1090 are 3,500- and 4,000-pound screenless PTO grinders that use five adjustable shear plates. Haybuster's PTO line begins with the 80-to-175-PTO-horsepower H-1000, then moves to the H-1030 and H-1135 with tilting tubs, twin 12-inch belly augers, 24-inch stacking conveyors, and higher tractor-power ranges. Haybuster also offers the stationary electric H-1135E and the self-powered 1150 and 1155 commercial grinders, including grapple-loader versions.

That range covers farm grinding, a stationary electric installation, and dedicated commercial grinding. We narrow it by the material and moisture, the finished particle size, daily production, available power, and how the ground material will be moved away from the grinder. A tons-per-hour figure is useful only when those conditions are reasonably close to the job behind the rating.

Material and finished grind

Two customers can own the same size bales and still need very different grinders. Dry alfalfa breaks apart differently from damp cornstalks. Long, tough hay can feed differently from brittle straw, and a grinder preparing a finer ration has to keep working the material longer than one producing a coarse processed feed.

We want to know every material the grinder will handle, the typical moisture, the worst moisture it will see, and how often the difficult material appears. If damp crop residue is only an occasional job, it may not need to determine the size of the grinder. If it is part of the regular workload, the power source, grinding system, and expected production should all be chosen around it.

The finished result also needs to be described more clearly than simply fine, medium, or coarse. If the grinder is preparing feed, bring the particle-size or screen recommendation from your nutritionist. If it is being used for another process, tell us what the material needs to look like and what equipment receives it next. That gives us a useful target for comparing screen choices, shear-plate settings, and production.

Screens and shear plates

Haybuster tub grinders use a hammermill with replaceable screens. Material continues through the grinding chamber until it can pass through the selected openings. Smaller openings generally produce a finer result, but also ask more of the grinder and usually reduce production, particularly when the material is damp or tough.

The H-1000 Series II offers screen openings from 1/8 inch through 4 inches, along with an open screen. The H-1030 and H-1135 extend the available openings through 8 inches and require two screen halves to be selected with the machine. The H-1030 and H-1135 also use removable mill-grate and slug-bar equipment that can be changed as grinding conditions change. The H-1135E, 1150, and 1155 use the same general screened-hammermill approach for stationary and commercial work.

The Roto Grind 760 and Roto Grind 1090 use five individually adjustable shear plates instead of interchangeable screens. The plates on the 760 adjust from zero to 2 inches, while the 1090 provides up to 2 1/2 inches of movement at each plate. This lets the operator change the coarseness of the processed material without replacing screens, and Roto Grind uses the open grinding system for wet as well as dry material.

Compare the two systems by looking at the finished material you actually need, how often the setting will change, and the conditions in which the grinder will normally run. Hammer condition, screen wear, and shear-plate adjustment all affect production and consistency over time.

Capacity in real conditions

Roto Grind describes approximately 15 tons per hour from the 760 when it is powered by an 80-to-90-horsepower tractor and grinding reasonably dry material at a medium setting. Its broader published range is 5 to 40 tons per hour because material, moisture, finished size, and tractor power can change the rate substantially.

The 1090 uses the same approach. Roto Grind describes approximately 35 tons per hour with 150 to 200 horsepower and reasonably dry material, while publishing a broader range of 20 to 60 tons per hour as conditions change. Those figures are useful for understanding the difference in scale between the two machines. They are not a promise that either grinder will hold the top of its range throughout every job.

Haybuster does not publish one universal tons-per-hour figure for its PTO line, so we compare the models by their hammermills, tubs, tractor ranges, belly augers, and stacking conveyors. The H-1000 uses a 44 1/2-inch hammermill with 64 hammers and accepts 80 to 175 PTO horsepower. The H-1030 moves to a heavy-duty 64-hammer mill and accepts 150 to 315 PTO horsepower. The H-1135 uses a 50-inch mill with 88 half-inch hammers and accepts 200 to 315 PTO horsepower.

Those specifications explain the size and power behind each model, but the same operating conditions still control production. Output usually falls when material is wetter or tougher, the finished grind becomes finer, the hammers are worn, or the loader feeds the tub inconsistently. It can also be limited after the hammermill if ground material cannot clear the machine quickly enough.

Daily production is just as important as the highest hourly number. A customer who grinds a few loads at a time may care more about tractor size, transport, and simple adjustments. An operation that grinds for several hours a day needs a loader that can keep the tub supplied and enough conveyor, pile, truck, or wagon capacity to move ground material away without repeated waiting.

PTO, electric, or self-powered

A PTO grinder is usually the most practical choice when a properly sized tractor is available whenever the grinder will run. The Roto Grind 760 and 1090 and the Haybuster H-1000, H-1030, and H-1135 all use the tractor as their main power source. This keeps a separate engine off the grinder, but the tractor has to travel with the machine and remain committed to the job.

The Haybuster H-1135E is designed for a fixed site with suitable three-phase electrical service. It keeps the H-1135's 50-inch hammermill, 11-foot-class tub, dual belly augers, tilting tub, and 26-foot conveyor, but replaces the PTO drive with a 300-horsepower main motor and a separate 10-horsepower motor for the hydraulics. Haybuster offers several voltage and frequency packages, so the available electrical service needs to be confirmed with the power supplier before the machine is ordered.

For commercial grinding, the Haybuster 1150 and 1155 carry their own Caterpillar diesel power and hydraulic systems. The 1150 is built as a truck-mounted grinder, while the 1155 uses a fifth-wheel trailer. That difference matters when the grinder moves from job to job. The 1150 keeps the grinder and truck together as one unit. The 1155 can be unhooked so the truck can be used elsewhere when the grinder is not moving.

Both commercial models can be equipped with Haybuster's 7000 Series grapple loader. The grapple-loader versions use a 29-foot boom, an 8-foot-4-inch grapple, a cab that rotates 270 degrees, and controls for both loading and grinding. This lets one operator load material and control the grinder from the loader cab, but the added boom, cab, outriggers, and transport dimensions should be included in the original plan.

Match the tractor

The PTO tractor has to do more than fall within the grinder's horsepower range. It must hold the required PTO speed under load, provide enough hydraulic flow and remotes for the tub and conveyor functions, supply the electrical connection when one is required, and have the drawbar rating and operating weight to handle the grinder's hitch weight and transport size. With the tractor model and year, we can verify the shaft, hydraulics, drawbar, and weight instead of relying on horsepower alone.

The Roto Grind 760 and 1090 in this comparison use a 1,000 RPM PTO. The 760 weighs approximately 3,500 pounds with 660 pounds on the hitch, while the 1090 weighs approximately 4,000 pounds with 710 pounds on the hitch. Roto Grind's 80-to-90-horsepower and 150-to-200-horsepower figures belong to the capacity examples above, so we still confirm the tractor against the material and production expected from the machine.

The Haybuster H-1000 Series II is the lowest-power PTO choice in the Haybuster line. Haybuster specifies 80 to 175 PTO horsepower and notes that approximately 125 horsepower is a good match for maximum efficiency. The grinder weighs approximately 6,830 pounds and requires at least 8 gallons per minute at 1,500 PSI, one double-acting remote, and a 12-volt electrical connection.

The H-1030 accepts 150 to 315 PTO horsepower at 1,000 RPM. It weighs approximately 13,300 pounds, carries about 1,925 pounds on the hitch with the conveyor folded, and requires at least 8 gallons per minute at 1,500 PSI, one double-acting remote, and 12-volt power.

The H-1135 accepts 200 to 315 PTO horsepower at 1,000 RPM, with either a 1 3/4-inch 20-spline or 1 3/8-inch 21-spline tractor connection. It requires at least 8 gallons per minute at 1,500 PSI, two double-acting hydraulic valves, and a 12-volt electrical supply. The grinder weighs approximately 14,500 pounds and carries about 1,925 pounds on the hitch with the conveyor folded.

A tractor can have the required PTO power and still be missing the shaft, hydraulic remotes, 12-volt connection, or drawbar capacity the grinder requires. We confirm those items before choosing the grinder so the tractor can operate every function when the machine arrives.

Tub control

The rotating tub controls how steadily material reaches the mill. If too much material enters at once, the tractor or engine begins to pull down and the mill loses speed. A tub governor responds by slowing or stopping the tub, allowing the mill to recover before more material is fed into it.

Roto Grind includes a tub governor on both the 760 and 1090. Haybuster uses electronic tub control throughout the H-1000, H-1030, H-1135, H-1135E, 1150, and 1155 lines. Depending on the model, the control adjusts or stops tub speed, controls tub direction, and records operating hours.

The governor makes the grinder easier to keep loaded consistently, but the loader and material still matter. Damp bunches, long wrapped material, or large uneven loads can interrupt the flow even on a properly sized machine. When possible, we want to see photos of the bales or residue and understand how the loader operator plans to feed the tub.

Loading and discharge

The loader can have as much effect on daily production as the grinder. It needs enough reach to clear the tub, enough capacity to keep material staged, and enough room to work without crowding the tractor, engine, conveyor, or pile of ground material.

The Roto Grind 760 and 1090 are each 8 feet 6 inches tall, with tubs measuring 9 feet across the top, 7 1/2 feet across the bottom, and 51 inches deep. The Haybuster H-1000 has an 8-foot loading height and a 10-foot-class tub. The H-1030 and H-1135 both have a 9-foot-2-inch loading height, with the H-1030 using a 10-foot-class tub and the H-1135 increasing the tub opening to 11 feet 3 inches.

The belly augers and stacking conveyors also increase with the Haybuster PTO models. The H-1000 uses dual 9-inch belly augers and an 18-inch-wide, 20-foot folding conveyor that stacks material up to 13 feet 9 inches. The H-1030 moves to twin 12-inch belly augers and a 24-inch-wide, 21-foot conveyor with a published maximum height of 14 feet 9 inches. The H-1135 uses twin 12-inch belly augers and a 24-inch-wide, 26-foot conveyor that reaches a published maximum height of 18 feet 6 inches.

The H-1135E uses twin 12-inch belly augers and the same 24-inch-wide, 26-foot stacking conveyor at a stationary site. The commercial 1150 and 1155 use an 11-foot tub and a 30-inch-wide, 26-foot stacking conveyor that can move left and right through a 50-degree range. That articulation is useful when a commercial operator needs to build a wider pile or load receiving equipment without moving the entire grinder.

Before choosing a grinder, lay out where unprocessed material will be staged, where the grinder will sit, how the loader will approach the tub, and where the ground material will go. Include turning room, overhead clearance, traffic, wind, dust, and the space required to fold, raise, or swing the conveyor. A larger grinder will not shorten the day if the loader cannot keep it fed or the pile, truck, wagon, or next machine forces repeated stops.

Transport and service

The Roto Grind 760 weighs approximately 3,500 pounds with 660 pounds on the hitch, while the 1090 weighs approximately 4,000 pounds with 710 pounds on the hitch. Those figures help determine the tractor and transport arrangement when the grinder will move between farms, feedlots, or separate storage areas. Their reversible hammers can be used on four corners, and the five shear plates can be adjusted individually as the finished grind changes or components wear.

The H-1000 Series II weighs approximately 6,830 pounds and is designed for tractors from 80 to 175 PTO horsepower. It uses a fixed tub, a 44 1/2-inch hammermill with 64 reversible hammers, an electronic governor, dual 9-inch belly augers, and an 18-inch by 20-foot folding conveyor. Because the tub does not tilt, screen changes and hammer service are handled through the machine's standard access points.

The H-1030 and H-1135 both use a full 90-degree tub tilt for access to the hammermill and drivetrain. The H-1030 weighs approximately 13,300 pounds and has a transport width of 10 feet 4 inches. The H-1135 weighs approximately 14,500 pounds and has a transport width of 11 feet 4 inches. Road width, gates, turning room, towing equipment, and any transport requirements should be checked before either machine is moved between sites.

The H-1135E is intended for a stationary installation, so the site needs room for the loader, stacking conveyor, electrical equipment, maintenance, and future component removal. The commercial 1150 keeps the grinder permanently mounted to its truck, while the 1155 places the grinder on a fifth-wheel trailer. Grapple-loader versions add outriggers and a rotating boom, which changes the room required at the job and during transport.

For any grinder, ask how the hammers are rotated or replaced, how screen or shear wear is checked, and which common parts should be kept on hand. Plan to remove net wrap, wire, rocks, and other foreign material before grinding, and tell us if the bales or residue are likely to contain debris.

Compare the models

Roto Grind 760

The 760 is a practical choice for customers who want the Roto Grind screenless shear-plate system in a 3,500-pound machine. It uses 24 reversible hammers, five adjustable shear plates, a 9-foot top tub, and a 1,000 RPM PTO drive. Its published 5-to-40-ton-per-hour range depends on the material, moisture, finished grind, and tractor behind it.

Roto Grind 1090

The 1090 keeps the same published tub dimensions and 1,000 RPM PTO speed while increasing the hammer count from 24 to 36. It is a strong option for customers who want more production from the Roto Grind shear-plate design and have the tractor and loader to support it. Roto Grind's 20-to-60-ton-per-hour range and 35-ton example show the added capacity, while still making clear that actual output depends on the job.

Haybuster H-1000 Series II

The H-1000 is the Haybuster model we compare for a farm or ranch that wants a screened tub grinder and has a tractor within the 80-to-175-PTO-horsepower range. Its 64-hammer mill, electronic governor, dual 9-inch belly augers, and 18-inch by 20-foot folding conveyor make it a complete hay-grinding machine, while the optional hopper and ear-corn equipment add grain-grinding capability. Haybuster publishes a maximum stacking height of 13 feet 9 inches for the conveyor.

Haybuster H-1030

The H-1030 is the middle PTO model for customers who want a 90-degree tilting tub, a heavy-duty 64-hammer mill, twin 12-inch belly augers, and a 24-inch by 21-foot conveyor without moving to the H-1135's 11-foot-class tub and 88-hammer mill. It is designed for tractors from 150 to 315 PTO horsepower.

Haybuster H-1135

The H-1135 is Haybuster's largest heavy-duty PTO tub grinder. It is the model to compare when the operation has a 200-to-315-PTO-horsepower tractor and wants a 50-inch hammermill, an 11-foot-3-inch tub opening, twin 12-inch belly augers, a 24-inch by 26-foot stacking conveyor, and easier service access through the 90-degree tilting tub. Its screen choices, grain-grinding options, and electronic controls allow the machine to be configured around a wide range of high-production work.

Haybuster H-1135E

The H-1135E brings the H-1135's 50-inch hammermill, 11-foot-class tub, twin 12-inch belly augers, and 24-inch by 26-foot stacking conveyor to a stationary site with sufficient three-phase power. It makes sense when the material regularly comes to one location and the operation would rather use a dedicated 300-horsepower electric drive than keep a large tractor on the grinder. Electrical voltage, frequency, starting equipment, utility capacity, and site layout all need to be confirmed before quoting it.

Haybuster 1150 and 1155

The 1150 and 1155 are dedicated commercial grinders for operations that need the engine, hydraulics, controls, and grinder to travel as one complete production unit. The truck-mounted 1150 is built for frequent movement and maneuvering at customer sites. The fifth-wheel 1155 lets the towing truck disconnect when it is needed elsewhere. Haybuster also offers both with the grapple-loader package, commonly listed as the 1150GL and 1155GL, when the grinder needs to load material from its own cab.

What to bring to a quote

Send us:

• Every material the grinder will process, including bale size and typical and worst-case moisture.
• The finished particle size, screen recommendation, or consistency required by the ration or next machine.
• Expected tons per day, hours of grinding on the busiest day, and number of grinding days each year.
• For a PTO grinder, the tractor make, model, year, PTO horsepower, PTO speed, shaft, hydraulics, and electrical connection.
• For an H-1135E, the available three-phase voltage, frequency, utility capacity, and planned installation location.
• For a commercial grinder, how often it will move, whether truck-mounted or fifth-wheel transport fits better, and whether a grapple loader is needed.
• Loader make and model, practical lift height, and how material will be staged.
• Whether ground material will be piled, loaded into a truck or wagon, or sent directly into another process.
• Gates, road width, turning room, overhead clearance, and distance between sites.
• Any grain-grinding equipment, alternate screens, mill-grate equipment, or other options needed.

With those details, we can compare the Roto Grind and Haybuster models under the same working conditions and price the exact grinder, PTO or motor package, screen pair or shear-plate setting, stacking conveyor, and loading options the job requires. Call 712-566-1033 or email sales@keastenterprises.com, and tell us what you are grinding, what power is available, and how you want the material to leave the machine.