Noticed this a little bit last season but noticing it more and more as I've begun to use this season. Probably a dumb question but is this a big cause for concern and work on repairing asap? This an easy fix or complicated? Seems the leak is coming form the head of the hydraulic cylinder.
Not a huge deal...I'd keep using it until you feel the leak is worse than you care to deal with...just make sure the oil level doesn't get low. If you have some basic tools and are a little handy, that's not a terrible job to replace those seals.
Leaking hydro piston Your splitter seems to have a different head retainer but it can't be too complicated. As brenndatomu said, with a proper seal kit it is nothing to be afraid of!
I can't tell for sure, but it seems like the rod gland might be loose. This one screws in, and it looks like there is a gap between the lip of the gland and the cylinder itself. There is usually a flat "o-ring" that the gland bottoms out against, and if the gland is not tight it will leak past that ring. But that gap may be normal when that gland is tight, hard to tell. You need a spanner that will fit into the two holes in the face of the gland. On the other hand, if it looks like it is leaking out where the rod meets the gland, the packing needs to be replaced, eventually, as others have said. You'll still need that spanner to get it apart. Good luck!
I usually use drift punches in those holes...that or grade 8 bolts. Then careful use of pry bars will allow you to twist the gland out. A small piece of scrap copper pipe (or fitting) cut open and flattened out to protect the rod surface works pretty well
