Here's how to do it Mike.
1. Put an old record (or one you hate!) on the platter and start playing.
2. When the stylus sets down UNPLUG the beogram from the mains, this will stop the tonearm in the play position. (Pressing stop will simply return the arm to the rest position which is not what you want here).
3. Turn the counterweight until the tonearm is in a "floating" position :- IE zero force.
4 Very carefully hold the black main body of the counterweight and turn the silver graduated ring (it turns as it is simply held by a magnet to the main part of the weight) until "0" is at the top position. I do mean VERY carefully, the last thing you want to do is break the tonearm at the pivot or the pivot itself - they are both very fragile.
5 Now turn the whole of the weight inwards to the correct tracking force. 1.5g for MMC5 - 1.2g for MMC3 & 4 - 1.0g for MMC1 & 2.
6. Job done! Plug & play.
Chris.
The use of metaphors should be avoided like the plague. They're like a red rag to a bull to me.