The pipelayer crane apparatus comprises a lower, the lower comprising a lower frame, a pedestal, a lower bearing portion, a telescoping axle, a track roller, and a track shoe, an upper, the upper comprising a frame, a body, a cab, a pedestal, a upper bearing portion, and a counterweight, a lifting assembly, the lifting assembly comprising an adjacent portion, a remote portion, a joint, and a cylinder and a weldment, the weldment comprising a body, an extension, a winch, and securing members. A method for a pipelayer crane apparatus to rotate about the track shoes comprising a lower, the lower having a pedestal attached to a lower bearing surface; an upper, the upper having a pedestal attached to a upper bearing portion; bearing formed by the interaction of the upper bearing surface and the lower bearing surface; a pipe lifting assembly, the pipe lifting assembly attached to a weldment, the weldment attached to the upper; and the upper rotating about the bearing formed by the upper bearing surface and the lower bearing surface.