Help with set-up of Empire 598III Turntable


I just got one of these and am confused with the set-up. First it says to engage the Dyna-Lift, and to place the cartridge at the edge of the record label, and the needle 3/16" above the record itself and then to tighten the arm lock screw. (Is this done with the counterweight on or off?) Subsequently it tells you to adjust the counterweight so that the needle is just barely above the record, and then to dial in the tracking force and anti-skate.Could someone help decipher this for me a bit, (I am dense!). Thank you in anticipation.
hurricane
When you set the counterweight such that the arm floats level above the record the effective cartridge weight at that point would be about 0 gms. Then dial in the weight you are choosing for your cartridge according to the scale marked on the counterwieght. Should be about the correct weight (using a scale to actually measure this would be the best). Then set the anti-skate for the weight that you are actually using (ie 1.75 grams= 1.75 grams anti-skate). Does that help? I don't know for sure, but it sounds that when you lift the arm using the "dynalift" the arm would then be restricted from falling on the record and damaging the stylus. By locking the arm before the record label, you would prevent the arm/stylus assembly from crashing into the label and possibly damaging the stylus during use as the arm would be locked from travel beyond that point. Does this make sense? If so, I'm glad to have helped. Happy Listening!
If I remember the Dynalift automatically lifted the arm at the end of the record. I also seem to remember that you could disable it by tilting it inward. I use to do this as I really didn't trust it not to jerk the record out of the groove. It has been over 40 years so this is about all I remember.
Thanks for your help, but I am still confused with the set-up of the Dyna-Lift PRIOR to balancing the tonearm with the cartridge; do I put the counterweight on or do I leave it off?