I too have a JD sickle mower with the pitman arm. I don't think the pitman arm will allow cutting down into a ditch or up a bank without breaking. I know mine won't. I also have a MF model 39 that doesn't have the pitman arm. It works great cutting down or up a relatively steep slope. I bought mine several years ago for $100. It had a 4" cedar tree growing through the middle of it that I had to cut to free the mower. I don't know how long it had been there but I greased it very well and it's worked great ever since. I use it for cutting the front side of the dam on my lake right down to the water line.