Torque Converter

Torque is turning force: a force applied at a distance from a pivot. Workshop manuals, torque wrenches and engine specifications use newton metres, pound-feet, pound-inches or kilogram-force metres depending on where they come from. Getting a bolt torque wrong can strip a thread or let a wheel come loose, so convert carefully.

How to use Torque Converter

1. Type the value you want to convert.
2. Choose the unit you have in From and the unit you want in To. The swap button turns the conversion round.
3. Read the answer, with the formula underneath. For example, 100 N·m ≈ 73.76 lbf·ft.
4. Open All units to see the value in every unit at once, and copy the one you need.

When it comes in handy

• Setting a torque wrench from a manual in a different unit.
• Comparing engine torque figures.
• Engineering and physics calculations.

Frequently asked questions

Is lbf·ft the same as ft·lb?

For torque, yes: both mean a pound of force at one foot. Strictly, ft·lbf is the unit of energy (work) and lbf·ft of torque, but they are used interchangeably.

Pound-inches or pound-feet?

Small fasteners are often specified in lbf·in; 12 lbf·in = 1 lbf·ft. Mixing them up gives twelve times too much or too little torque.