Claas Dominator Hydraulic components

Photo's

The first photo is the valve stack for the unloading and header lift. Notice the weld jlob on the valve and added the second on top of the valve stack. The second is the steering valve looks like it has been replaced or rebuilt at some point. The third photo is the header lift, reel lift, and beater adjustment valve. One open I think is for if the machine had fore/aft on the header. I will have to find seal kits for all three of these components. Trying to post a few pictures of the hydraulic tanks and my planned updates on the tanks.

Masseypride,you are about to have all kinds of fun!I havent bought any parts for my Dominator yet but if it is like the 642 you don't buy seal kits for the valves,you buy each individual o ring and seal.The open one on the header valve is probably for a machine with variable speed trans instead of hydrostatic.The Steering valve looks just like my 642 and Claas does have a seal kit for the orbit motor as well as the block that bolts to it.99% of the time the block is what starts leaking on mine from the end of a little valve sticking out the top.I am not positive but the welded spot on the valve looks like the same spot on my 642 valve that is actually a weep hole that lets fluid out when the o ring in the valve is leaking.I had been tempted to weld mine up but went ahead and took the valve apart to fix it.Claas will have everything you need but you might not be able to stand the price.The last seal kit for the steering motor and block ran about $60 each(2 kits).Just a word of caution ,when you take the header valve apart you better be careful because there are little plastic valves with springs that will come out when you take the end off.Do you have a parts book? I bought a new one from Claas when I got my 76 and i would be willing to bet the valves are the same.If you have part numbers I could give you the info for the folks that order my parts if you want it and they will drop ship them to you.

No books, Ebay had a parts book but in german. I will have to buy on pretty soon. The two wire switch leaks like a sieve when running the unloading auger. I am going to take the components to hydraulic shop in Salina to see if they thought the could match up parts. What is the second valve added to the valve stick for? YES, I'm having all kinds of fun. This machine better sell when I'm done. Otherwise, a crazed man is going to find out what this bad boy will do. Where did you get your partsbook and service book at? PRICE?

Masseypride, my Claas 106 parts book is in german... i've never seen one in english!

My biggest pet peeve with Claas is the way they have set up their hydraulics... it's not the easiest system to service... and it is underpowered in my opinion... I have thought about changing the steering hand pump, as the wheel is slow to turn... but i'm not sure if that would change anything. And like i mentioned before, i'd really like to change the system to a single larger hydraulic reservoir, with the hydrostat and hydraulic system pumps working off one tank, i might try to plumb in a chaff spreader and hydraulic drive for the reel... would make everything easier!

Unless you are going to use the machine yourself you are throwing good money after bad on a Claas combine. The resale is very low and even then there are few buyers. The cost of the parts and the value of the labor will be hard to get back out of the machine unless you use it yourself.

A good friend of mine was a Claas dealer in the 1980s. He sold 5-10 of the combines. He had a NEW Dominator 113 (I think) it was an eight row corn combine. It was the last one he had. This was way before the Claas/Cat deal. Getting parts was a nightmare. ( Some times 2-3 months wait on shipping from Germany) He had the machine for over 15 years. No one would buy it. The others he sold turned into boat anchors for the owners.

He had a 20 foot soybean head and the eight row corn head. It did not have 500 hours on it as he used it himself and a few demos.

Finally scrap steel price got high and he pulled the motor and sold it and the rest went to scrap. HE got about twice what he had been offered for the machine.

Masseypride,I ordered my parts,service,and operators manual from Claas.I called headquarters and got the part#'s to give to my parts people for them to order.Around $270 for all three and the cover EVERYTHING including most options.They are in several different languages with english included.The best manuals to get are the original Ford dealer manuals that you see on E bay from time to time but they are scarce..Two days after I bought the expensive Claas parts manual I lucked up and found a Ford dominator 76 parts manual on E bay and bought it for $30.Im not sure what the extra valve is unless it is for automatic header height control.I really dont want to dampen your spirits but JDseller is right about one thing,The 96 is not going to be worth a whole lot even in pristine shape.I am a DIE HARD Claas fan but I would be hard pressed to give over $5000 for one in exceptional shape delivered.I watched a 98sl(it was real nice) on a website for over a year that they were trying to sell for 5k and it finally disappeared.As for JD comments on problems getting parts from Claas I think he is speaking of maybe how they done it back in the 80's.I cant speak for Lexion parts but every part I have ever needed they still had and even the ones that had to come from Germany got here in less than three days.Back during last years corn harvest I broke a slat on my feeder chain which in turn twisted up one chain(three strand chain) .I ordered all three new chains but the middle one was in Germany.I placed my order late one afternoon and two days later it was sitting at my shop all the way from Germany.Thier parts avalibility has been second to none for me although some of the smallest things can be crazy high and some big stuff is dirt cheap.

Open spot on header valve possibly for mechanical ground drive.

Doesn't the low resale value work to our advantage? Neighbor just paid $13,000 for a mint 8820... What did he get for an extra $8000? Prestige?

(quoted from post at 04:17:16 05/04/13) Doesn't the low resale value work to our advantage? Neighbor just paid $13,000 for a mint 8820... What did he get for an extra $8000? Prestige?

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Well what did he get?? Well parts that are much more available and many after market ones too. So the price is usually reasonable. Plus that combine still has a resale market.

The Claas machines are not a bad machine but the resale it horrible. Since Cat/Lexion is here you can get the parts but years ago they wehre a nightmare to get parts for them. Also in muddy areas they have issues as they are much heavier than most other machines.

JD, I don't want to start a brand war but this reminds me of a saying a friend of mine had hanging over the counter of his parts store years ago. "There is no product that some man cannot make a little worse and sell a little cheaper. Those who buy on price alone are this man's lawful prey". From John Ruskin. Mike