Torque Converter

Convert between newton-metres, pound-feet, pound-inches, and kilogram-force metres — for engines, fasteners, and mechanical work.

Torque

N·m, lb·ft, kgf·m

From

Result

0.001

1 N·m = 0.001 kN·m

Popular conversions

What Is a Torque Converter?

A torque converter translates a twisting or rotational force between units — newton-metres to pound-feet, pound-inches to newton-metres. Torque is force applied at a distance from a pivot (force × lever arm), and the SI unit is the newton-metre (N·m). It's the number on every engine spec, torque wrench, and fastener table, expressed as N·m in most of the world and lb·ft in the US.

This converter routes through the newton-metre. It keeps pound-feet and pound-inches distinct (a factor of 12 apart) and handles kilogram-force metres, so an engine's torque or a bolt's tightening spec converts to the unit your wrench or manual uses.

This is one category of the full Unit Converter — pair it with our percentage calculator or scientific calculator for related everyday maths.

How Torque Conversion Works

Everything routes through the newton-metre

Each unit has a fixed N·m factor. The converter turns your input into newton-metres, then projects it into every other torque unit.

Torque is force times lever arm

1 N·m is one newton applied one metre from the pivot. Double the lever arm and you double the torque for the same force.

lb·ft vs lb·in

Pound-feet and pound-inches differ by a factor of 12 (one foot = 12 inches). Mixing them is a common torque-spec error.

Same units as energy, different meaning

A newton-metre is dimensionally a joule, but torque (a rotational effect) and energy (work done) are physically distinct concepts.

Core Torque Conversion Factors

Multiply to reach newton-metres; divide to come back. Watch the foot-versus-inch factor of 12.

lb·ft → N·m

× 1.355818

One pound-foot is 1.355818 newton-metres. The main US-to-SI torque bridge.

lb·in → N·m

× 0.112985

One pound-inch is 0.112985 N·m — one-twelfth of a pound-foot.

kgf·m → N·m

× 9.80665

One kilogram-force metre is 9.80665 N·m, an older metric torque unit.

How to Use the Torque Converter

1
Enter the torque value
Type the torque you want to convert — an engine figure or a fastener tightening spec.
2
Choose the 'from' unit
Pick newton-metres, pound-feet, pound-inches, or kilogram-force metres.
3
Choose the 'to' unit
Select the target unit, or swap the two to reverse direction.
4
Read every unit at once
The all-units table shows the torque in N·m, lb·ft, and lb·in together for a quick wrench cross-check.

Key Torque Concepts

Newton-metre

The SI unit of torque: one newton applied one metre from the axis. The standard for engine and fastener specs outside the US.

Pound-foot

A US torque unit: one pound-force at a one-foot lever arm (1.356 N·m). Common for engine output and large fasteners.

Pound-inch

One pound-force at a one-inch lever arm, one-twelfth of a pound-foot. Used for small fasteners and delicate assemblies.

Torque vs power

Torque is twisting force; power is torque times rotational speed. An engine's peak torque and peak power occur at different RPM.

Real-World Torque Conversions

🚗

Engine torque

A car making 300 lb·ft produces 406.7 N·m. Engine specs use lb·ft in the US and N·m elsewhere.

🔧

Wheel lug nuts

A 100 lb·ft lug-nut spec is 135.6 N·m. Torque wrenches are marked in one unit, manuals sometimes in the other.

🔩

Small fasteners

A 25 lb·in screw spec is 2.82 N·m. Precision assemblies (electronics, optics) use pound-inches and small N·m values.

🏍️

Motorcycle specs

A bike with 80 N·m makes about 59 lb·ft. Service manuals convert between the two for international models.

🛠️

Torque wrench

Setting a wrench to 40 N·m equals 29.5 lb·ft. Dual-scale wrenches show both; single-scale ones need conversion.

⚙️

Industrial machinery

A gearbox rated 500 N·m handles 369 lb·ft. Mechanical drives are specified across N·m, lb·ft, and kgf·m.

Best Practices for Torque Conversion

✓Mind pound-feet vs pound-inches. They differ by 12×. Tightening a small fastener to a lb·ft value meant in lb·in over-torques it 12-fold — a common way to strip threads.
✓Match the wrench to the spec unit. Set the torque wrench in the same unit as the manual, or convert first. Don't eyeball between scales.
✓Don't confuse torque with power. Torque (N·m) and power (watts) are different. An engine's torque and power peaks occur at different speeds and aren't interchangeable.
✓Keep N·m for calculations. Rotational dynamics expects newton-metres. Convert lb·ft and lb·in to N·m before computing angular acceleration or work.
✓Apply specs in sequence and stages. Beyond units, follow the manufacturer's tightening pattern and step up to the final torque — the converted number is only the target.

Common Torque Conversion Mistakes

Confusing lb·ft and lb·in

A factor-of-12 mix-up over- or under-torques a fastener badly — the leading cause of stripped or under-tightened bolts.

Treating N·m as energy

A newton-metre of torque isn't a joule of work even though the units match dimensionally. The physical meaning differs.

Mixing torque and power specs

Reading a power figure as torque (or vice versa) misjudges an engine. They peak at different RPM and convert only via rotational speed.

Ignoring lever-arm direction

Torque depends on the perpendicular lever arm. Converting units doesn't fix a force applied at the wrong angle or distance.

Why Torque Conversion Matters

Torque specs keep engines running and fasteners holding — and they're split between newton-metres and pound-feet (plus pound-inches for small work), so mechanics constantly convert between manual, wrench, and spec sheet. The factor-of-12 gap between pound-feet and pound-inches is a notorious source of stripped threads and failed joints.

Because under- or over-tightening a critical fastener has real safety consequences, a converter that routes through the newton-metre and keeps lb·ft and lb·in distinct lets a mechanic or engineer dial in the exact specified torque regardless of which unit the documentation uses.

Built for mechanics, automotive technicians, and engineers converting between newton-metres, pound-feet, and pound-inches.

Linear unit factors follow the BIPM SI brochure, the NIST Guide to the SI, and ISO 80000. Currency rates load live from open.er-api.com; crypto prices from CoinGecko. See our methodology and editorial policy. Educational only — not certified for regulated trading, settlement, medical, or aerospace use.

Torque Converter FAQs

Divide newton-metres by 1.355818 to get pound-feet, or multiply pound-feet by 1.355818 to get newton-metres. So 100 N·m is about 73.8 lb·ft, and 100 lb·ft is 135.6 N·m. This is the most common engine- and fastener-spec conversion.

A pound-foot applies one pound-force at a one-foot lever arm; a pound-inch uses a one-inch arm. Since a foot is 12 inches, 1 lb·ft = 12 lb·in. Confusing the two over- or under-torques a fastener by a factor of 12, which is a frequent cause of stripped threads.

Dimensionally yes — both are kg·m²/s² — but they describe different physical quantities. A joule measures energy or work done; a newton-metre of torque measures a rotational turning effect. By convention torque is written as N·m and energy as J to keep them distinct.

Multiply kgf·m by 9.80665 to get newton-metres, since one kilogram-force is 9.80665 N applied at one metre. So 5 kgf·m is about 49 N·m. Kilogram-force metre is an older metric torque unit still seen on some machinery.

Torque is the twisting force an engine produces; power is the rate of doing work, equal to torque times rotational speed. An engine's maximum torque and maximum power occur at different RPM, so the two figures aren't interchangeable — you convert between them only with the engine speed.

It uses exact definitions (1 lb·ft = 1.3558179483 N·m, 1 lb·in = 0.1129848 N·m, 1 kgf·m = 9.80665 N·m) and routes every conversion through the newton-metre at full precision, so the result is exact to your input precision.