A mobile lift crane includes a carbody; a rotating bed; a boom; and a moveable counterweight unit. The crane is configured such that the counterweight unit is never supported by the ground other than indirectly by moveable ground engaging members on the carbody throughout a pick, move and set operation. In a first aspect, the crane is operable to move the counterweight unit to at least a first position in front of a fixed rearmost portion of the rotating bed and a second position behind the fixed rearmost portion of the rotating bed. In a second aspect, the crane also includes a first linear actuation device operable to move the counterweight unit toward and away from the front portion of the rotating bed by extending and retracting the linear actuation device. The counterweight unit may be moved a greater distance than a stroke of the first linear actuation device.