[gordon21]

If I remember right, the method used with the excavator on the stack is that they chip 3 notches in the top equally spaced around the edge. The first notch looks done. The crane then lifts the excavator only alittle bit and the operator uses the boom to rotate the rig so the three H bean arms drop into the notches. He then knocks off the three high sections so everythin is level and starts the process again.

99 percent of the time the crane cable is only acting as a safety. There is no dead weight being suspended. The excavator is always supported by the three arms.