I have a JD 3950 chopper.  I "almost" love it.  After having a Ford, Hesston, numerous New Hollands, this is my first Deere.  It is great in so many ways.  We had sorghum sudangrass 14 feet tall and thick this year, and the Allis 7045 was humming a beautiful song in harmony with that chopper just spewing it out.

The romance ends at the corn head.  That SOB just does not feed worth a crap.  It cuts it fine, and brings it up toward the feed rolls, but it stops just short of getting pulled in.  It seems from the best I can see, that it's the outside row that falls over, catches a crack or something, then just piles up.  Never shears pins or slips a clutch or anything, just sits there not going anywhere and you have to get off and help it in and then it'll go.  Fortunately it will take a helluva slug with no issue, but it sure gets old having to get off all the time.  Especially for poor 84 year old dad, who would love to help and was nice to park him in the tractor and let him drive, but instead he's off and on all the time, and that ain't exactly safe let alone desirable.

Sorry for the rant. . . .just a bit ticked....So to anyone who's ever ran one of these, did you have similar trouble and were you ever able to find anything that helped?  

There was an optional "Row Trak" attachment that kept the head centered on the rows.  I think that would help, since when you're driving absolutely perfect it seems it does better.  I'm trying to track down the parts for that as a retrofit.  

Any thoughts or help appreciated.  Thanks.

Anything rusted or have a small hole that the stalks are catching on?

Funny you mention that, I was running it, and put the head up some, and I thought it helped so I reasoned to myself that there was less of a hill to climb so it worked better.  Yesterday, dad was running it, he said he lowered it and it helped some!  So, IDK, just random  I think?  

There is a space between the header and rolls, it's how it's made.  We were talking about screwing a hunk of sheet metal or belting or something there to block it off.  We also talked about coating the area with that spray on graphite to make it slick.  It's crazy, it really is in nice condition.  I think something stupid is going on.....I was watching Youtube videos yesterday of people just hauling the mail with those choppers, they really do seam to get high regard.  Talked to the guy I bought it from yesterday, he said check the "smooth roll".  Which , I will, but I don't see how that's the problem because it seems like the corn doesn't make it that far.  

http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=implment&th=287858" rel="nofollow - http://www.yesterdaystractors.com/cgi-bin/viewit.cgi?bd=implment&th=287858

The belts aren't perfect, but I thought were serviceable.  In time, one's rise should be in the other's valley, correct?

I believe the cut off knives are good.  I don't have a book for the head.....is there a clearance spec I can check?  Cutting paper must only be a couple thousandths, or even "0".  No issues cutting, it seems it "falls over" before it gets to the rolls, then it doesn't go on in.  

By the way, do you have the row trak on yours?

  Your belts look in excellent shape to me.

Ya, I thought the belts looked good.

As for that piece, I see what you're saying, it should be more sort of a shingle effect.  I can confirm this is the way it was when I got it.  I'd have to go look, but seems to me the similar piece on my NH with 824 head is the same as this.  I think it helps hold that big piece in place better, since there's 4 bolts in close proximity.  

Tom, I think you called it!

I think you are talking about this piece, outboard photo:

And wouldn't you know it, inboard photo:

There's a piece missing and an open bolt hole!  

Makes sense to me.  The guy I bought it from insisted it's the smooth roll, but in my mind the issue occurred before it got there, and after the cutting knives, and this would explain it.  Also, chopper worked amazing in the sorghum with pickup head, no feeding issues at all, so a corn head issue makes sense.  We'll be fixing this and see what happens.

Tom, steaks and pops of your choice on my deck if you ever swing through Michigan. (especially if this works!)

   What I ha ve seen is the corn falls out of the Deer belts and lays there while you dont have that issue with the NH 824.

  Good luck with Toms cure.

Once I put in that little piece of steel last year based on Tom's advice, the rains came in and we never chopped another stalk of corn. 

Fast forward to this year, and we're off and running.  Boy, what a difference a stupid little 1.5 x 3 inch piece of steel can make.  The dealer didn't have that specific part, said, "Boy.  That looks just like a part for a planter."  So he gave us that part, and it fit right on with no mods.  We have been using the chopper this year, and dear old dad, now 85, has not had to get off the tractor once for a header feeding issue!  WOOHOO!!!

Tom, again, steaks and pops of your choice if ya' ever swing through Michigan!!! Thanks to all who replied last year.

BTW.  Sharpened the knives and set clearance, and the 7045 doesn't hardly know it's there.  Well, the crop sucks this year too, but even in the tall stuff she runs like a top.  

If you ever decide you want a different head, take a look at one of these:

https://www.dion-ag.com/rotary-corn-heads/" rel="nofollow - https://www.dion-ag.com/rotary-corn-heads/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=86PeCeR6zqg

There are some good used ones out there, they feed like a dream, and when you open up the field, or break through, when you come back to pickup the rows driven over, you won't be able to tell which rows were driven over, it just cleans it up.

The circular cutting knives or cylinder knives?  My Hesston head is pretty much junk, but might be a few acres left on the circle knives.  My cylinder knives should have a lot of life left in 'em.  We could work out something very cheap if you were interested, you're not "that" far away.  There comes a time when you need another chopper, I get that.  Just let me know.

Nice, thank you!

Good to  hear that it was just a missing strip of metal... I might have tried some heavy plastic in there just in case it thought about getting loose and going through the knives.

 Glad to hear your dad is out and about and still able to do things like that.

 Had the old 2 row NH head  on a 717 super and it would feed good and then suddenly it wouldn't feed and have to back it up and forward it time or two and then it would go through... funny, one day I didn't have that issue anymore... somebody thought they needed it worse than I did. Had to go buy another chopper.  That was some twenty years ago.