Torque Converter — Convert N·m, lbf·ft, lbf·in, kgf·m & More

About the Torque Converter

Torque specifications are everywhere in mechanical work — a car manual calling for lbf·ft on lug nuts, a bicycle stem bolt rated in N·m, a small electronics screw in lbf·in. Getting the wrong unit can mean over-tightening and stripping a bolt, or under-tightening a critical joint. This tool lets you enter a value once and see it converted to every common torque unit at the same time.

How to Use This Tool

Enter the torque value you want to convert.
Select the unit that value is currently in.
The table updates automatically, showing the equivalent value in every other unit.

Conversion Formula

Every torque unit converts through the newton-meter (N·m), the SI unit of torque. To convert from unit A to unit B:

value_B = value_A × factor_A→(N·m) ÷ factor_B→(N·m)

Torque and energy share the same base unit (N·m = J) since both are force × distance, but they measure different physical quantities — torque is a vector describing rotational tendency, energy is a scalar. That's why this stays a separate converter from Energy Converter rather than reusing it.

Torque Unit Conversion Factors (to Newton-meters)

Unit	Symbol	Value in N·m
Newton-meter	N·m	1
Kilonewton-meter	kN·m	1,000
Pound-force-foot	lbf·ft	1.3558179483
Pound-force-inch	lbf·in	0.1129848290
Kilogram-force-meter	kgf·m	9.80665
Dyne-centimeter	dyn·cm	0.0000001

Note: lbf·ft and lbf·in are exact, derived from the exact pound-force and foot/inch definitions. 1 lbf·ft = 12 lbf·in exactly, matching the 12 inches in a foot.

Worked Examples

Example 1 — N·m to lbf·ft

A car manual specifying 100 N·m for lug nuts: 100 ÷ 1.3558179483 N·m per lbf·ft ≈ 73.8 lbf·ft.

Example 2 — lbf·in to N·m

An electronics spec calling for 15 lbf·in: 15 × 0.1129848290 ≈ 1.69 N·m — a good example of why small hardware needs the finer lbf·in scale instead of lbf·ft.

Example 3 — kgf·m to N·m

An older spec listing 5 kgf·m: 5 × 9.80665 ≈ 49.03 N·m.

Example 4 — lbf·ft to lbf·in

A torque wrench reading of 8 lbf·ft: 8 × 12 = 96 lbf·in exactly, since 1 ft = 12 in.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I convert N·m to lbf·ft?

Divide by 1.3558179483. Equivalently, 1 lbf·ft ≈ 1.356 N·m, so 1 N·m ≈ 0.7376 lbf·ft.

What's the difference between lbf·ft and lbf·in?

They're the same physical quantity at different scales — lbf·ft is used for larger torques (like lug nuts or engine bolts), lbf·in for small precision hardware (like electronics or eyeglass screws). 1 lbf·ft = 12 lbf·in exactly.

Is torque the same as energy?

They share the same units (N·m = J) because both are force multiplied by distance, but they're conceptually different: energy is a scalar (just a magnitude), while torque is a vector with a direction of rotation. That's why torque isn't measured in joules even though the units match dimensionally.

Why do car manuals sometimes use kgf·m instead of N·m?

kgf·m (kilogram-force-meter) was the standard technical torque unit in many countries before SI units became universal, and it still appears in older manuals and some regional specifications. 1 kgf·m ≈ 9.807 N·m.

Can torque values be negative?

Yes — torque is a vector, so a negative value indicates rotation in the opposite direction (for example, loosening vs. tightening, or clockwise vs. counterclockwise relative to a chosen convention). This converter allows negative values for that reason.