Torque Converter

What this tool does

Torque Converter translates tightening and engine torque values between SI, imperial and gravitational units. It helps you read a service manual or torque wrench in whichever unit you have to hand.

Torque is the turning force that tightens a bolt or drives a crankshaft. Workshop manuals give values in newton metres, US manuals use pound-feet and inch-pounds, older Asian vehicle specifications use kgf·m, and small motors and servos are rated in kgf·cm or ozf·in. A misread unit can strip a thread or leave a wheel nut loose.

This converter uses the newton metre as its base. Pound-force foot is derived from the exact pound, standard gravity and the foot, giving about 1.35582 N·m, and the pound-force inch is one twelfth of that. Kilogram-force metre is 9.80665 N·m and kilogram-force centimetre a hundredth of that. With the batch converter you can convert a whole table of fastener torques at once, entirely in your browser.

How to use Torque Converter

1. Type the torque value in the Value field.
2. Select the unit printed in your manual in From.
3. Select the unit your torque wrench uses in To and read the Result.
4. Swap the direction or adjust Decimal places as needed.
5. See every equivalent unit in the table beneath.
6. Paste a list of fastener torques into Batch convert and download the CSV for the workshop.

Tips for better results

• Roughly, 1 lbf·ft is 1.36 N·m and 1 N·m is 0.74 lbf·ft.
• Wheel nuts on cars are commonly 80 to 140 N·m; check your vehicle manual for the actual value.
• Servo ratings in kgf·cm convert to N·m by multiplying by about 0.098.

Common use cases

• Setting a torque wrench for wheel nuts, spark plugs or cylinder head bolts.
• Comparing engine torque figures between N·m, lbf·ft and kgf·m.
• Choosing servos and stepper motors for robotics projects.
• Converting fastener tables in engineering drawings.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Confusing lbf·in with lbf·ft, which differ by a factor of 12.
• Treating torque (N·m) as energy (J); they share base units but are different quantities.
• Rounding small torques too much when tightening delicate fasteners.