Torque Converter
Convert between Newton-metres, pound-foot, pound-inch, kilogram-force·metre, and more torque units.
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How to use this calculator
- 1
Enter the torque value you want to convert.
- 2
Select the unit you are converting from (e.g. N·m).
- 3
Select the target unit (e.g. lb·ft).
- 4
The result appears instantly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I change lbf·ft to N·m?
Multiply by 1.355817948. A pound-force at one foot of arm is 4.4482216152605 N × 0.3048 m, which gives 1.3558179483 N·m. So 90 lbf·ft is 122.0236153 N·m and 25 lbf·ft is 33.89544871 N·m. Going back, 1 N·m is 0.73756215 lbf·ft.
What is the difference between lbf·ft and lbf·in?
They differ by a factor of 12. A pound-foot is 12 pound-inches, so 1 lbf·ft = 12 lbf·in = 1.355817948 N·m, and 10 lbf·in = 0.83333333 lbf·ft = 1.12984829 N·m. Mixing the two is the classic error when a small-fastener spec is given in inch-pounds.
Are ft·lb, lb-ft and lbf·ft the same?
For torque, yes: all three are pound-force times feet, and the converter labels the unit as lbf·ft. Foot-pound as a unit of energy (ft·lbf) has the same dimensions but is a different quantity; see the energy converter.
What is a kilogram-force metre?
One kgf·m is a kilogram-force acting at a 1 m arm, and since 1 kgf is exactly 9.80665 N, 1 kgf·m = 9.80665 N·m. It shows up in older metric specifications. In pound-foot terms, 1 kgf·m is 7.233013851 lbf·ft.
Is torque the same as energy in joules?
Dimensionally, a newton-metre equals a joule, but they describe different things: torque is a twisting effect, energy is work done. The converter keeps them apart. It does not turn torque into horsepower either, because that also needs the rotational speed.
Does the tool track direction or tolerance?
No. It converts a single magnitude. Clockwise or counter-clockwise tightening, thread condition and wrench accuracy are outside its scope. Torque wrenches carry tolerances far wider than the ten digits the tool displays.
What is the ounce-force inch used for?
It is a small unit, 1/16 of a lbf·in or 0.0070615518 N·m, suited to light fasteners and small motors. The converter lists it for completeness: 1 ozf·in is 0.0052083333 lbf·ft.
Torque units: newton-metres, pound-feet, pound-inches and kgf·m
A force multiplied by a lever arm
Torque is a force acting at a distance from an axis. One newton-metre is a newton applied at a 1 m arm. One pound-foot is a pound-force at a 1 ft arm, which is 1.355817948 N·m. A pound-inch is one twelfth of that, 0.11298483 N·m, an ounce-inch is one sixteenth of a pound-inch, and a kilogram-force metre is exactly 9.80665 N·m. The converter passes every conversion through newton-metres using these full values. Because lbf·ft and lbf·in are both pound-force units, the conversion between them is exactly 12, with no rounding involved. Only the step across to newton-metres introduces a decimal.
Reference values taken from the converter
Each row begins with one torque unit and shows the same twisting effect in four others, copied from the tool’s output.
| From | N·m | lbf·ft | lbf·in | kgf·m |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 N·m | 1 | 0.73756215 | 8.850745791 | 0.10197162 |
| 1 lbf·ft | 1.355817948 | 1 | 12 | 0.13825495 |
| 1 lbf·in | 0.11298483 | 0.083333333 | 1 | 0.011521246 |
| 1 ozf·in | 0.0070615518 | 0.0052083333 | 0.0625 | 0.00072007789 |
| 1 kgf·m | 9.80665 | 7.233013851 | 86.79616621 | 1 |
Worked examples: fasteners and engines
A spec of 90 lbf·ft is 122.0236153 N·m, which is 1,080 lbf·in. A 250 N·m figure becomes 184.3905373 lbf·ft. Small screws are different: 10 lbf·in is 1.12984829 N·m, or 0.83333333 lbf·ft. At the high end, 300 lbf·ft is 406.7453845 N·m. These examples show how a switch of unit changes the number by tens of percent, so check the label. Rounding is simple in practice: 1 lbf·ft is about 1.36 N·m and 1 N·m is about 0.74 lbf·ft, which is enough to sanity-check any answer from the tool.
The factor-of-twelve trap
The most expensive mistake with torque is mixing pound-feet and pound-inches: a value that should be 25 lbf·ft is 300 lbf·in, and reading one as the other is a factor-of-twelve error. Always check which scale a wrench or manual uses before dialling in a number, and convert both units here to compare.
Limits of the converter
This tool changes one torque magnitude from one unit to another. It does not calculate power from torque and rpm, does not treat torque as energy, and does not know about direction. The display shows up to ten significant digits, so round to the precision of your wrench before using the result.
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Results are estimates for informational purposes only and do not constitute professional financial, medical, legal, or technical advice. Read full disclaimer →