What corn heads all fit the 892

Long story short, the head sold as a package deal with our 892 doesn't fit.

It's a 770 2 row narrow, and I never even thought of checking it before agreeing to it. We called and we can bring it back for what they sold it for if we can't sell it or trade it for one we need, but now we need a head.

My dad talked to one dealer, and they said either an 822 or 824 are the 2 heads we're looking for. I found an 822, but it's quite a drive for me to go and find out it won't fit up.

To add injury to insult, when I pulled the Fox 3000 around just so I could chop something last weekend, I opened up the knives to find a chunk missing from one, from the center of the outer bolt hole out was gone. Dad put it thru the blower pipe while doing straw 3 or 4 weeks ago, never knew what it was until Saturday. That chunk bounced around a bit and really took it's toll on all the knives. I managed to put one of our scab knives in and got it set to match the rest, but I really don't wanna go through the trouble of installing (and modifying 2 bolt knives to 3 bolt) if it's got one tire in the junk yard already. Got new 2 bolt knives, but I'd rather sell 'em.

I got 3 loads chopped and the head lands off the small field, but I really remember why I want to quit using the Fox. That head sucks royally in wind blown corn. Moderately sucks in normal modern day corn. Works fine in short corn....

Donovan from Wisconsin

A 822 or 824 with the correct adapter bundle, a 880 or a 890 auger base with the 3 row-crop unit. The 880 heads worked very well but have hundreds of parts to rebuild and used the 479 Haybine wobble box for the knives. Best to find a 822 or 824. The 822 has less moving parts compared to the 824. The 824 work a bit better but not alot. Both use the rotary disk knives. The key for good performance on both the latter heads is the interference fit between the disks. The 770 head was probably the worst machine NH ever built.....Ron

Donovan, he is correct about the 822 and 824 fitting your chopper but the right attachment bundle is required as those heads could be used on the 717/718, 770/782/790, 880/890/892, and the 900 as well. If you can come up with one the 824 is the better head. I have the 822 on my 782 it is a fine head in standing, clean corn and a straight driver on the chopper. It isn't too forgiving on any of those counts especially if you don't have those cutting discs shimmed up tight. It is reliable but the 824 is a much improved head.

So a head off a 782 would need a different attachment bundle? I found an 822 head a few hours away off a 782. Looks fairly straight but it has had some acres through it.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Don , I just wish you were closer by. I have just the head for you. When I bought my 892, it came with 3 heads, 2 corn one hay. One corn was the old wobble box type, the other almost new 824. Now I only use this harvester for hay as we took out every 4th knife to lenght the chop. We have a fresher 782 that I chop corn with, and the other machiens head won't fir it. So it sits. Not too many around me cut their own corn, all have gone custom, custom rates are $500.00 per hour. Bruce

Do not buy an 822 they were a sorry excuse for a head. The 824 is the best corn head ever built.Many people even put 824's on there Deere 3940,3950,3960 and 3970 harvesters.You can almost chop with your eyes closed and get all the corn.With an 822 if you get off the row you have down corn.We have a late model Deere head on our 3955 and someday I want t get an 824 NH for it.

It can't be any worse than what we've got and right now isn't the best time to be picky. The price of an 824 head in decent shape is 3x what we paid for the chopper with hay head. We've got corn thats ready to go but now we'll probably be down another week at the very least tring to get something to work.

Next year we may be able to watch the auctions for a better head.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Forget the model 822 head. 824 is better. I have NH 880 harvester that we wore out the 880 R2 head on it. Bought a model 824 new about 10 years. It works well enough but I thought that the old 880R2 picked up down corn better than 824 does and was much more forgiving if you strayed off the row. With the two sets of gathering chains set farther out on the snouts, and one set mounted much higher than the other, it "reached out" and grabbed stuff better than the 824 does. In order to get more room at the end of rows to make my turns I have gone perpendicular ACROSS the ends of rows with the 880R2 header held up high and cut near all the stalks. The 824 won't do that. Also cut drilled sudan-sorghum with the 880R2 and got 95% or more of it. Cut some corn, then cut some sudan in the same load to blend it . Worked good. If NH had put gathering chains out nearer the end of snouts on the 824 it would be better.
Lots of 824's for sale here new and used:
824 heads

You definately want an 824- the gathering chains are somewhat longer than the 822. Both have a slight propensity to plug, but the 824 is a better head and newer. Go over it good and set the knives to just touch each other and they work pretty good. Make sure the chains are also fairly tight on the adjusters, and do not forget the roller chains that drive the knives.

Call Fry's in PA at 570-546-3968. Maybe they could come with the pieces to make your current head fit till you can do something different.

don, i have worn out several 822 heads and currently have both an 824 and 822 that i use on my 900 chopper (same mounting as 892). the 822 is good; the 824 is a little better but more parts to maintain. as stated, there are different kits to mount the heads to a 718, 782, 892/900.
don't feel bad about the 770 head not fitting. the wobble knife would knock corn over if you got even a little off the row. the scallops on the 822 rotary knives will wear so they don't cut as well, but i have ground them deeper with an angle grinder so they work better. eventually they will get to where you can't shim them for the right interference and they will have to be replaced.
you can usually find 822 heads quite a lot cheaper than 824. i wouldn't hesitate getting a decent 822 to use.

The only thing thats got me upset about the head is I had the hay head off a month ago and I never thought of checking it before I put the hay head back on. I can replace a few wear parts but I need something that'll work.

Donovan from Wisconsin

The 770 head is a no-way, no-how, not-gonna-fit. The mounts on it are welded instead of bolted on like the later heads, and with the way the tin goes to the top it'd hit the chopper when raised. If I did anything to make it fit, it'd loose an and all value for anyone who could use it, and we'd loose the money we can get back if we return it to buy a head that will work.

Dad talked to a dealer today about mounting hardware kits for an 822 head, and they are N/A from NH. They may be able to be found through the depot, but even then it'd be $700 for the parts to convert one.

Do the 822 and 824 heads use the same mounts, or are they different in how they bolt to the head. I'm sure I could make something work from one or the other if needed, if I can find some used mounting hardware.

I looked at a couple heads at the same dealer today after work, and the mounting brackets themselves were in the right locations, but some had the sprocket on the inside, like we need, and others had the sprocket on the outside of the bracket. What model choppers had the sprocket on the outside?

Donovan from Wisconsin