Converter Tools
Torque Converter
Convert torque between newton-metres (N*m), foot-pounds, inch-pounds, kgf*m, kgf*cm, and ozf*in. Suffix-aware input, presets, and a comparison table.
Quick conversions
Common torque specs from workshop and component manuals.
From unit
Decimal places
Headline
Newton-metres
25 N*m
SI base. The standard in modern engineering specs.
Pound-force feet
18.4391 lbf*ft
Foot-pounds. The default in most US automotive specs.
All units
The source unit is highlighted. Every other row is derived from the same N*m value.
Source
Newton-metres
25 N*m
SI base unit. The torque required to rotate a 1 m lever arm against a 1 N force. Used in almost every modern automotive and engineering spec sheet.
Example: 25 N*m is a typical motorcycle spark plug torque
Converted
Millinewton-metres
25000 mN*m
One thousandth of a newton-metre. Standard for small motors, optical instruments, watch movements, and dental drills.
Example: 500 mN*m = 0.5 N*m
Converted
Kilogram-force metres
2.5493 kgf*m
Older metric and DIN unit, common on Japanese and European workshop manuals printed before the late 1990s. 1 kgf*m is the torque of 1 kg pulling on a 1 m lever under standard gravity.
Example: 1 kgf*m = 9.80665 N*m
Converted
Kilogram-force centimetres
254.9291 kgf*cm
Hundredth of kgf*m. Used in bicycle component specs, dental tools, and small Japanese power tools. Often written kg*cm even though it is a force unit.
Example: 1 kgf*cm = 0.0980665 N*m
Converted
Pound-force feet
18.4391 lbf*ft
Also called ft-lb or foot-pounds. The dominant unit in US automotive torque specs. 1 lbf*ft is the torque of 1 lb of force on a 1 ft lever.
Example: 100 lbf*ft is a typical car lug nut torque
Converted
Pound-force inches
221.2686 lbf*in
Also called in-lb or inch-pounds. One twelfth of lbf*ft. Used for small fasteners, lawn equipment, and many bicycle stem and shifter specs.
Example: 1 lbf*ft = 12 lbf*in
Converted
Ounce-force inches
3540.2983 ozf*in
Sixteenth of lbf*in. Used in small electric motor and gearmotor data sheets, model engineering, and precision instrumentation.
Example: 1 lbf*in = 16 ozf*in
Conversion factors used
Every factor is derived from the SI definition of the newton (kg*m/s^2) and the exact constants: standard gravity g0 = 9.80665 m/s^2, pound = 0.45359237 kg, foot = 0.3048 m, inch = 0.0254 m.
- 1 lbf*ft = 1.35581795 N*m
- 1 N*m ~ 0.73756215 lbf*ft
- 1 lbf*in = 0.11298483 N*m
- 1 N*m ~ 8.85074579 lbf*in
- 1 kgf*m = 9.80665 N*m
- 1 kgf*cm = 0.0980665 N*m
- 1 ozf*in = 0.00706155 N*m
- 1 lbf*ft = 12 lbf*in = 192 ozf*in
Common torque comparisons
Each row shows the same torque in every unit so you can sanity check a workshop spec against what you have on hand.
| Context | N*m | lbf*ft | lbf*in | kgf*m | kgf*cm |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small electronics, hobby motors | 1 | 0.74 | 8.85 | 0.102 | 10.2 |
| Bicycle accessories, light fasteners | 5 | 3.69 | 44.25 | 0.51 | 51 |
| Road bike stem, light alloy parts | 8 | 5.9 | 70.81 | 0.816 | 81.6 |
| Bike chainring bolts | 12 | 8.85 | 106.21 | 1.224 | 122.4 |
| Spark plugs, motorcycle small bolts | 25 | 18.44 | 221.27 | 2.549 | 254.9 |
| Engine cover bolts, transmission case | 50 | 36.88 | 442.54 | 5.099 | 509.9 |
| Suspension bolts, oil pans | 100 | 73.76 | 885.07 | 10.197 | 1019.7 |
| Car lug nuts (most passenger cars) | 135 | 99.57 | 1194.85 | 13.766 | 1376.6 |
| Large flywheel bolts | 200 | 147.51 | 1770.15 | 20.394 | 2039.4 |
| Heavy truck wheel torque | 350 | 258.15 | 3097.76 | 35.69 | 3569 |
Watch the unit, not just the number
Always confirm whether the spec is in foot-pounds (lbf*ft) or inch-pounds (lbf*in) before tightening a fastener. The numbers differ by a factor of twelve. Older Japanese and European manuals often list torque in kgf*m or kgf*cm. When in doubt, convert to N*m and compare against the bolt size.
How to use
- Pick the source unit you have in hand: N*m, mN*m, kgf*m, kgf*cm, lbf*ft (ft-lb), lbf*in (in-lb), or ozf*in.
- Type or paste a torque value into the input. The suffix is automatic, so 25 N*m, 100 ft-lb, and 2 kgf m all work without changing the source unit first.
- Read the equivalent value in every other unit on the cards below, each with a copy button so you can paste a single number into a workshop log or spreadsheet.
- Use Copy summary to grab every unit in one block of plain text, perfect for sharing in a chat or saving as a note.
- Tap a preset (lug nut, spark plug, bike stem, JDM spec) to load a real torque value, or scroll to the comparison table to see how common N*m values translate into ft-lb and in-lb at a glance.
About this tool
Torque Converter translates a torque reading between the seven units engineers and DIYers actually meet in workshop manuals: newton-metres (N*m, the SI standard), millinewton-metres (mN*m, for small motors and instruments), kilogram-force metres (kgf*m, common in older DIN and Japanese manuals), kilogram-force centimetres (kgf*cm, used in bicycle component specs and small Japanese tools), pound-force feet (lbf*ft / ft-lb, the dominant US automotive unit), pound-force inches (lbf*in / in-lb, for small fasteners and bike stems), and ounce-force inches (ozf*in, for small motors and precision instruments). Every conversion routes through a canonical newton-metre value derived from exact constants: standard gravity g0 = 9.80665 m/s^2 (BIPM), the avoirdupois pound = 0.45359237 kg, the international foot = 0.3048 m, and the inch = 0.0254 m. That means 1 lbf*ft = 1.3558179483314004 N*m exactly to IEEE 754 precision, and 1 kgf*m = 9.80665 N*m by definition. The input field is suffix-aware: paste 25 N*m, 100 ft-lb, 80 in-lb, 2 kgf*m, or 50 oz-in and the tool detects the unit, parses both comma and period decimals, and recognises raised-dot, asterisk, dot, hyphen, and space separators. If the typed suffix does not match the selected source unit, a one-click swap suggestion appears so a workshop number is never silently misinterpreted. Real-world presets cover the torque values readers reach for most often (car lug nut at 100 lbf*ft, spark plug at 25 N*m, road bike stem at 8 N*m, JDM workshop spec at 2 kgf*m, and small motor at 50 ozf*in), and a comparison table at the bottom shows the same N*m row in every unit so it is obvious that a 100 N*m spec is not the same number as 100 lbf*ft. Useful for mechanics reading mixed metric and imperial torque specs, cyclists comparing N*m and kgf*cm component specs, woodworkers and machinists, students checking homework, and anyone who has ever wondered whether the manual meant foot-pounds or inch-pounds (the difference is twelve times). Everything runs in your browser; values are never uploaded.
Free to use. Works in your browser. No signup, no login.
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