275 rh axle leaking

how much of a job is it to replace the axle seal on this tractor?

If it's the outer seal at the wheel replacing it is a ROYAL PAIN! Axle is PRESSED into the planetary carrier, and needs a HEAVY press to get it apart and back together..

judging by the manual thats what i was afraid off

It's not a terribly hard job but not a job for someone with just some basic tools. I just did these on my 180 which from the parts book looks similar. You need a heavy gear puller to get the planetary off the shaft (The book mentions a special tool to go inside the planetary to draw it off, all I used was the forcing screw and cross bar of my puller inside the planetary and it pulled right off, again it isn't on there super duper tight just pressed fit). Make sure to keep track of all the needle bearings when getting into the planetary (Worst part of whole job is getting them back in). Book says a minimum of a 20 ton press to put it back on (I'm not sold it needed the 20 tons I feel that might be because of the height it needs which had my 20 ton table almost to the floor). Mine went off and on really easy but I had the mostly the right tools to do it. I'm not sure if it has the same issue on the 275 but on the 180 (according to my dealer) commonly the outer bearing and race is junk in there too. Mine indeed were junk when I got it tore down (pitted up like crazy). So keep in mind if you open it be fully ready to do the seal, race and bearing (Seals were cheapest at dealer, I replaced bearing and race with Timken's like it had from the factory, more pricey but worth it in my mind). I was concerned about how I was going to do the race but a block of wood did the trick putting it in and taking out I just used a pry bar and hammer working around it and it came out. All that stuff has been in oil all its life so its not like it's rusted in hard, just the pressed fit to overcome.

Absolutely agreed. I have taken previous axle housings to local MF agent who has the special MF puller to remove the epicyclic unit. Check with your MF agent to see if they have the puller and don't waste time trying to seperate it yourself even if you remove and refit the axle.
DavidP, South Wales

The dealer I worked for had an OLD mechanical press that always wore ME out, when the planetary outer seals needed replaced on the later 100 series. I've got some tractors around me now that run heavier oil in the axle ends so they seep less, cause I cringe at the thought of pressing them off/on again. The 65 models were SO much easier..

(quoted from post at 17:49:18 10/13/17) The dealer I worked for had an OLD mechanical press that always wore ME out, when the planetary outer seals needed replaced on the later 100 series. I've got some tractors around me now that run heavier oil in the axle ends so they seep less, cause I cringe at the thought of pressing them off/on again. The 65 models were SO much easier..

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Try the Lucas "hub oil" that's made for the semi trucks.