About

In automotive and mechanical engineering, torque specifications are the law. Failing to adhere to the correct torque can lead to catastrophic bolt failure, warped rotors, or gasket leaks. This tool converts N⋅m (Newton-meters), the SI standard for torque, into Imperial and Gravitational metric units commonly found on torque wrenches and service manuals.

Whether you are tightening lug nuts (often ~100 ft-lb or 135 N⋅m) or precision engine components, this utility ensures conversion accuracy to 4 decimal places. It handles the specific coefficients for Foot-Pounds, Inch-Pounds, and Kilogram-Force Meters.

Formulas

Torque (τ) is the rotational equivalent of linear force. The conversion relies on the definition of the pound-force and the meter-to-foot ratio. The governing formulas are:

τ_ft-lb = τ_N⋅m × 0.73756215

τ_kgf-m = τ_N⋅mg

Where g is standard gravity (9.80665).

Reference Data

Input Unit	Target Unit	Multiplier Factor	Example (100 N⋅m)
N⋅m	Foot-Pounds (ft-lb)	0.737562	73.76 ft-lb
N⋅m	Inch-Pounds (in-lb)	8.850745	885.07 in-lb
N⋅m	Kilogram-Force Meter (kgf-m)	0.101972	10.20 kgf-m
N⋅m	Dyne-centimeter (dyn-cm)	10,000,000	109 dyn-cm

Frequently Asked Questions

Technically, "lb-ft" (pound-feet) is the unit of torque (Force x Distance), while "ft-lb" (foot-pounds) is often used for Work/Energy. However, in automotive contexts and torque wrench markings, they are used interchangeably to mean Torque.

It is based on the standard gravity constant. Since gravity varies slightly by location on Earth, kgf is a gravitational unit, while N·m is absolute. For mechanical purposes, the standard factor 0.10197 is sufficient.

Yes. Convert to inch-pounds (in-lb) for smaller fasteners often found in electronics or bicycle carbon fiber components.