Abstract: A ring-supported lift crane is provided with a counterweight handling system to facilitate repositioning of the crane. The ring-supported crane includes a ring, a crane upper works and a crane lower works, a boom supported on rollers on the ring and a counterweight assembly also supported on rollers on the ring. The counterweight assembly preferably includes a counterweight carrier on which at least one stack of counterweight boxes or units are placed. A counterweight holder is interposed between the at least one stack of counterweight units and the counterweight carrier with a friction reduction device, such as rollers or slider pads, interposed between the counterweight holder and the counterweight carrier. When the ring-supported crane is to be repositioned for a second lift at a construction site, the counterweight holder with the stack of counterweight units is moved off of the counterweight carrier onto a separate counterweight support member, which may be mobile or stationary.