Patent ID: 7967158

Claim:
A method of operating a mobile lift crane, the lift crane comprising a carbody having moveable ground engaging members; a rotating bed rotatably connected to the carbody such that the rotating bed can swing with respect to the ground engaging members; a boom pivotally mounted on a front portion of the rotating bed, with a hoist line extending therefrom; a mast mounted at its first end on the rotating bed; at least one linear actuation device; and a moveable counterweight unit; the method comprising: a) performing a pick, move and set operation with a load wherein the moveable counterweight unit is moved toward and away from the front portion of the rotating bed by extending and retracting the linear actuation device during the pick, move and set operation to help counterbalance the load, but wherein the counterweight unit is never supported by the ground other than indirectly by the moveable ground engaging members on the carbody throughout the pick, move and set operation, and wherein the counterweight is moved a greater distance than a stroke of the linear actuation device that causes the counterweight to move.