Torque Converter

Overview

What is a Torque Converter?

> Torque Converter turns any torque between newton-metres, pound-feet, pound-inches, and kgf·m. Enter a value, pick your units, and read the result with the exact factor shown (1 lb·ft = 1.35582 N·m; 1 lb·ft = 12 lb·in). Note: N·m measures torque, not energy — a joule is different. It works offline. ---

### H2: Convert torque — newton-metres, pound-feet, and pound-inches

Torque is the twisting or turning effect of a force — how hard something is being rotated, like a bolt tightened by a wrench. It's measured in newton-metres (N·m) in the metric system and pound-feet (lb·ft) or pound-inches (lb·in) in imperial, with kilogram-force-metres (kgf·m) appearing on some older or European specs. This converter handles all four, so a fastener spec in newton-metres becomes pound-feet for your torque wrench, or the reverse, in one step. Every result shows the exact factor, with a swap button and an all-units table.

The exact relationships: one pound-foot is 1.35582 newton-metres, one pound-inch is one-twelfth of that (0.11298 N·m), and one kilogram-force-metre is 9.80665 N·m. A handy pair to remember: one newton-metre is about 0.738 pound-feet, and one pound-foot is exactly 12 pound-inches — the same 12-inch-per-foot relationship, which is easy to mix up when reading small-fastener specs.

The most important thing to understand — and where this converter is deliberately clear — is that torque is not energy, even though they share the same base units. A newton-metre of torque and a joule of energy both work out to kilogram-metres-squared per second-squared, but they describe different physical things: torque is a rotational force (a force applied at a distance from a pivot), while energy is work done. That's exactly why torque is written N·m and never "joules", and why this tool keeps them apart. If you actually need energy or work, use the Energy Converter.

One naming note: "foot-pound" and "pound-foot" get used interchangeably in conversation, but strictly, lb·ft (pound-foot) is the torque unit and ft·lb (foot-pound) is sometimes used for energy. This tool means torque throughout. Everything runs on your own device, offline, with nothing uploaded.

---

Guide

How to use the Torque Converter

Step 1: Enter your value. Type the torque you want to convert into the input box

Decimals are fine.

Step 2: Pick the "from" unit. Choose the unit your number is currently in — for example, newton-metres (N·m)

Pick the "from" unit. Choose the unit your number is currently in — for example, newton-metres (N·m).

Step 3: Pick the "to" unit. Choose the unit you want the answer in — for example, pound-feet (lb·ft)

The result updates instantly.

Step 4: Read the result and the factor. The converted value appears with the exact relationship used (for example, 1 lb·ft = 1.35582 N·m), so you can verify it

Read the result and the factor. The converted value appears with the exact relationship used (for example, 1 lb·ft = 1.35582 N·m), so you can verify it.

Step 5: Copy, swap, or expand. Use Copy to grab the number, the swap button to reverse the direction, or open the all-units table to see your value in every unit at once

Adjust the decimal places for more precision.

Screens

Torque Converter in action

Torque converter turning 100 pound-feet into 135.5818 newton-metres, with the note underneath reading that one pound-foot is about 1.35581795 newton-metres. — Converting pound-feet to newton-metres, with the exact factor underneath

The torque converter unit list showing newton-metre and kilogram-force metre under its metric heading and pound-foot and pound-inch under its imperial and US heading. — The unit list, grouped and searchable

The pound-feet to newton-metres reference table listing wheel and bolt torques from 5 lb-ft to 300 lb-ft beside their newton-metre readings. — The reference table for the pair on screen

The torque converter on a phone screen, the two panes stacked with the swap control between them. — The same tool on a phone

Support

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Nm are in a ft-lb?

One pound-foot is 1.35582 newton-metres. This comes from a pound-force (4.44822 N) acting at one foot (0.3048 m): 4.44822 × 0.3048 = 1.35582. So a 50 lb·ft spec is about 67.8 N·m. To reverse it, one newton-metre is about 0.7376 lb·ft. The tool shows this exact factor with every result.

---

How do I convert Nm to ft-lbs and back?

Multiply newton-metres by 0.73756 to get pound-feet, or multiply pound-feet by 1.35582 to get newton-metres. For example, 90 N·m × 0.73756 = 66.4 lb·ft, and 40 lb·ft × 1.35582 = 54.2 N·m. The tool applies the exact factor automatically and displays it, so you don't have to remember which way it goes.

---

How many ft-lbs is 100 Nm?

100 N·m is about 73.76 pound-feet. Divide by 1.35582 (or multiply by 0.73756): 100 ÷ 1.35582 = 73.76. Common ones: 50 N·m ≈ 36.9 lb·ft, 200 N·m ≈ 147.5 lb·ft. This is a typical range for car wheel and engine bolts, so the tool is handy for setting a torque wrench. Enter any N·m value for the exact figure.

---

How many inch-pounds are in a foot-pound?

Exactly 12. One pound-foot equals 12 pound-inches, the same 12-inches-per-foot relationship as length. So a 10 lb·ft spec is 120 lb·in, and a small fastener rated 30 lb·in is 2.5 lb·ft. Inch-pounds are common for delicate fasteners where foot-pounds would be too coarse. The tool converts between lb·ft and lb·in instantly.

---

Is a newton-metre the same as a joule?

No — even though they have the same base units. A newton-metre of torque and a joule of energy both equal kilogram-metres-squared per second-squared, but they describe different physical quantities: torque is a rotational force (force times lever arm), energy is work done. That's why torque is written N·m and never joules. For energy, use the Energy Converter, not this tool.

---

Why is torque measured in N·m and not joules?

Because torque and energy are different things, and using distinct names avoids confusion. Torque is a force applied at a distance from a pivot — its N·m comes from newtons × the lever-arm metres, at right angles. Energy (a joule) is a force acting *through* a distance in the direction of motion. Although the units multiply out the same, keeping torque as "N·m" signals it's a twisting effect, not stored work.

---

What's the difference between ft-lb and lb-ft?

They're often used interchangeably in speech, but strictly: lb·ft (pound-foot) is the unit of torque, while ft·lb (foot-pound) is sometimes used for energy or work. Since they share the same size, the number is the same either way — but the physical meaning differs. This tool always means the torque sense (fasteners, engines), so lb·ft and ft·lb here refer to torque.

---

How do I convert kgf·m to N·m?

Multiply kilogram-force-metres by 9.80665. Because one kilogram-force is 9.80665 newtons, one kgf·m of torque is 9.80665 N·m. So a 5 kgf·m spec is 49.03 N·m, or about 36.2 lb·ft. This unit appears on some older and European equipment. The tool converts kgf·m to newton-metres, pound-feet, or pound-inches with the factor shown.

---

Does "torque converter" mean a car transmission part?

That's a different thing with the same name. In a car, a torque converter is a fluid coupling inside an automatic transmission that transfers engine power to the gearbox. This page is a unit converter — it changes torque *numbers* between N·m, lb·ft, lb·in, and kgf·m. If you're researching the transmission component, this tool won't help with that; it's for the measurements.

---

Is this converter exact, or does it round the answer?

The math is exact — it uses defined factors (1 lb·ft = 1.3558179 N·m, 1 lb·in = 1/12 lb·ft, 1 kgf·m = 9.80665 N·m). Only the *displayed* value is rounded for readability, and you can add decimal places for more precision. The factor shown with each result lets you verify the figure yourself.

---

What's the formula to convert torque units?

Convert everything through newton-metres. Multiply your value by its factor to N·m (lb·ft → ×1.35582, lb·in → ×0.11298, kgf·m → ×9.80665), then divide by the target unit's factor. For N·m to lb·ft it's value ÷ 1.35582, which is value × 0.73756. For lb·ft to lb·in it's simply ×12. The tool applies this for any pair.

---

Does the tool work offline, and does it upload my data?

It works fully offline once the page has loaded, and it never uploads anything. All conversions are pure arithmetic using fixed factors, so the calculation happens on your own device — no server, no account, no tracking. That makes it dependable in a garage or workshop with no signal, and private by design, since there's nothing to send anywhere.

Still have questions?

If you can't find the answer you're looking for, feel free to contact our support team.

How this conversion works

Common torque conversions

Privacy Focused

Instant Results

No Signup

Browser Based