Convert N·m to lb·ft newton metres ↔ pound-feet Free Online Secure
Type a value in newton metres and read it in pound-feet at once. The factor is exact by definition, the arithmetic happens in your browser, and nothing is sent anywhere.
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Common values — Convert N·m to lb·ft (newton metres ↔ pound-feet)
| N·m | lb·ft |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.737562149277 |
| 2 | 1.47512429855 |
| 3 | 2.21268644783 |
| 5 | 3.68781074639 |
| 10 | 7.37562149277 |
| 20 | 14.7512429855 |
| 50 | 36.8781074639 |
| 100 | 73.7562149277 |
Where these units come from
Torque is a force applied at the end of a lever, so its unit is simply a force multiplied by a length: a newton metre is one newton pushing at one metre from the pivot. The pound-foot is the same idea built from the pound-force and the foot, and it stayed in American and British workshops long after the rest of the toolbox went metric. The curiosity of this quantity is that it has exactly the same dimensions as energy — a newton metre and a joule are built from the same ingredients — yet they are never interchanged. A joule is work done; a newton metre of torque is a twist that may do no work at all, because nothing has turned.
Where you meet them
Every wheel on a car is tightened to a stated torque, and so is almost every bolt that matters: engines, bicycles, scaffolding, aircraft. Engine outputs are quoted as torque alongside power, because torque is what pulls away from a standstill while power is what sustains speed. Electric motors have made the number familiar to people who never owned a torque wrench, since they deliver their full torque from zero.
Questions people ask
Is a newton metre the same as a joule?
Dimensionally yes, physically no, and the distinction matters. Both are a newton times a metre, but in a joule the force and the distance point the same way — something moved — while in torque the force acts at right angles to the arm, and the bolt may not turn at all. By convention torque is always written in newton metres and never in joules, precisely so that the two are not mistaken for one another.
Is a pound-foot the same as a foot-pound?
In practice people use both for the same thing, but the careful convention is to write torque as pound-feet (lb·ft) and energy as foot-pounds (ft·lb). The numbers are identical either way, so a torque figure labelled ft·lb converts exactly as this page shows. It is the quantity that differs, not the arithmetic.
Is the answer exact?
Where both units are defined in terms of one another by whole numbers, yes — the page says so above the figure, and the only rounding is in how many digits are shown. Where the ratio has no finite decimal, the page shows twelve significant digits and says the relation is approximate rather than pretending otherwise.
Does anything I type leave my device?
No. The arithmetic runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded and there is no server to upload it to. Load the page once and it keeps working with the network switched off.
Newton-metres to pound-feet: reading engine and motor specifications on both sides of the Atlantic
Car makers in Europe and Asia quote engine torque in newton-metres, while American brochures, dyno charts and towing guides use pound-feet. A buyer weighing a European diesel at 400 N·m against a US pickup at 295 lb·ft needs to know that the two numbers describe the same turning force. To convert N·m to lb·ft, multiply by 0.7376: 100 N·m is 73.8 lb·ft, 300 N·m is 221.3 lb·ft and 1,000 N·m is 737.6 lb·ft. The calculator above does the multiplication as you type, and the sections below show how to read torque figures in specifications, on graphs and in daily use.
The page gives the rule with worked examples, a profile of each unit, a comparison and a long run of practical cases, followed by the usual mistakes. The calculation runs in your browser and nothing you type is sent anywhere. For tightening bolts, always use the figure in the relevant service manual.
How to convert N·m to lb·ft: multiply by 0.7376
The rule
A newton-metre is a force of one newton acting at one metre from the axis, and a pound-foot is a force of one pound at one foot. The ratio is 0.737562. To convert N·m to lb·ft, multiply the newton-metres by 0.7376: 10 N·m gives 7.4 lb·ft, 50 N·m gives 36.9 lb·ft and 120 N·m gives 88.5 lb·ft. To go back, multiply lb·ft by 1.3558.
Worked examples
A hatchback petrol engine with 150 N·m produces 110.6 lb·ft. A turbo diesel with 400 N·m produces 295 lb·ft. An electric saloon with 650 N·m produces 479 lb·ft, and a heavy-duty pickup with 1,458 N·m produces 1,075 lb·ft.
An exact factor
The factor 0.737562 follows from the exact definitions of the pound, the foot and standard gravity. For rough use 0.74 is enough, with an error of 0.3 per cent.
A quick sanity test
The answer in lb·ft is about a quarter smaller than the figure in N·m. If a “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation gave a larger number than you started with, the factor was used the wrong way round.
The newton-metre
The SI unit of torque
The newton-metre is the torque produced by one newton acting at one metre from the axis. It appears in the brochures of European and Asian makers and in nearly every engineering standard.
Where it appears
Engine data, motor specifications and standards worldwide.
The pound-foot
The customary unit of torque
The pound-foot is the torque of one pound-force at one foot from the axis. It is the unit of American brochures and dyno graphs, written lb·ft or ft-lb. It should not be confused with the foot-pound of energy.
Where it appears
American car brochures, dyno charts, towing guides and workshop manuals.
N·m against lb·ft
One N·m is 0.7376 lb·ft, so the figure in lb·ft is about a quarter smaller. A torque of 100 N·m is 73.8 lb·ft, and 400 N·m is 295 lb·ft. Both express the same torque; only the unit differs.
The conversion is exact and hides no rounding. The trap is direction: from N·m to lb·ft the number falls.
Where the conversion shows up
Comparing engines
A European 2.0-litre diesel quotes 400 N·m at 1,750 rpm, while an American 5.0-litre petrol V8 says 395 lb·ft at 4,500 rpm. After a “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation, the diesel's 295 lb·ft is lower on paper, but it is available at a far lower speed, which is why it feels strong for towing.
Electric vehicles
An electric motor develops its peak torque from zero rpm. A performance saloon quoting 1,000 to 1,400 N·m across all wheels offers 738 to 1,033 lb·ft. That immediate torque explains the brisk launch, though the peak figure means little without the gearing and the wheels.
Towing
Tow ratings are linked to torque at the wheels. A diesel pickup with 1,000 lb·ft, 1,356 N·m, can pull 15 tonnes or more with the right hitch, while a small car with 150 N·m, 111 lb·ft, is limited to 1 to 1.5 tonnes.
Power from torque
Power in kilowatts equals torque in N·m times rpm divided by 9,549. A motor with 300 N·m at 4,000 rpm gives 125.7 kW. With lb·ft the divisor is 5,252 and the result is horsepower, so 221.3 lb·ft at 4,000 rpm is 168.5 hp. Both routes give the same power.
Starter motors
A car starter motor develops 10 to 20 N·m, 7 to 15 lb·ft, at the pinion and turns the engine at 150 to 250 rpm. Through the ring-gear ratio of about 12 to 1 that becomes 120 to 240 N·m at the crankshaft. Cold weather raises the needed torque, which is why batteries struggle in winter.
Robot servos and stepper motors
A hobby servo holds 0.2 to 1.5 N·m, 0.15 to 1.1 lb·ft, and a NEMA 17 stepper motor 0.4 to 0.6 N·m, 0.3 to 0.44 lb·ft. Hobby catalogues use kg·cm or oz·in, so the route to lb·ft runs through N·m: 1 kg·cm is 0.098 N·m, and 1 oz·in is 0.00706 N·m.
Everyday torques
Opening a jar lid takes 2 to 4 N·m, 1.5 to 3 lb·ft, a bottle cap about 1 to 2 N·m, 0.7 to 1.5 lb·ft, and turning a steering wheel at parking speed around 3 N·m, 2.2 lb·ft. A “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation on these small values helps compare ergonomics studies from different countries.
Human strength
The elbow of a trained man can produce 60 to 80 N·m, 44 to 59 lb·ft, in a curl, and the knee in extension over 200 N·m, 147 lb·ft. Sports scientists use dynamometers that report N·m. American coaches often prefer lb·ft, and the two sets of numbers must be reconciled when athletes move.
Pedalling
A rider pushing with 500 N on a crank 0.17 m long creates 85 N·m, 62.7 lb·ft. Average torque over a pedal stroke is lower, around 25 to 40 N·m. Power meters on bicycles report power, which is torque times cadence converted to watts.
Marine and industrial engines
A ship's engine of 10 MW at 100 rpm generates about 955,000 N·m, 704,000 lb·ft. For machines like this the kN·m or MN·m is the usual unit. American shipyard documents may use lb·ft, which is why prefixes and conversion go hand in hand.
Wind turbines
The main shaft of a 3 MW wind turbine turning at 15 rpm carries about 1.9 MN·m, 1.4 million lb·ft. A gearbox reduces the torque by a factor of around 100 on the generator side. Designers talk of MN·m at the main shaft and kN·m at the generator.
Foot-pounds of energy
Torque in lb·ft is not the same as energy in ft·lbf, although both involve a foot and a pound. Torque is a turning effect, and energy is work done. One ft·lbf is 1.356 J, and one lb·ft of torque is 1.356 N·m. The numbers coincide, but the quantities are different.
The mental shortcut
To convert N·m to lb·ft in your head, multiply by 3, divide by 4 and subtract 1.5 per cent. For 100 N·m: 75 less 1.1 gives 73.9, against 73.76. For 40 N·m: 30 less 0.5 gives 29.5. The method suits rough estimates.
Spreadsheet formulas
To convert N·m to lb·ft in a spreadsheet, put the torque values in N·m in column A and enter =A2*0.7375621 in column B. For the reverse, =B2*1.355818. A column with =A2*8.85 gives inch-pounds for small fasteners.
Why 5,252 matters
On a dyno chart in lb·ft and horsepower the two curves cross at 5,252 rpm, because there the numbers are equal. On a chart in N·m and kW no such crossing exists, as the constant is 9,549. The crossing is a feature of the units, not of the engine.
Rounding and precision
Brochure values are rounded to 5 or 10 units, so a figure of 400 N·m may be 395 to 404. When you convert N·m to lb·ft for a comparison, one decimal is plenty. Quoting 295.02 lb·ft for 400 N·m suggests precision the data do not have.
Landmarks to memorise
20 N·m is 14.8 lb·ft. 60 N·m is 44.3 lb·ft. 120 N·m is 88.5 lb·ft. 240 N·m is 177 lb·ft. 350 N·m is 258 lb·ft. 600 N·m is 443 lb·ft. 1,200 N·m is 885 lb·ft. Use them to convert N·m to lb·ft by eye.
Reference ladder
8 N·m is 5.90 lb·ft. 12 N·m is 8.85 lb·ft. 35 N·m is 25.8 lb·ft. 75 N·m is 55.3 lb·ft. 160 N·m is 118 lb·ft. 320 N·m is 236 lb·ft. 700 N·m is 516 lb·ft. 1,500 N·m is 1,106 lb·ft. A ladder like this makes checks quick.
Checking by reversing
To check a “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation result, multiply the answer by 1.3558. If 100 N·m became 73.76 lb·ft, then 73.76 times 1.3558 returns 100. A second test is size: the lb·ft figure should be a quarter smaller.
Related torque units
One N·m is 0.102 kgf·m, 0.1 daN·m, 8.85 in·lb and 0.7376 lb·ft. A torque of 100 N·m is 10.2 kgf·m, 10 daN·m, 885 in·lb and 73.8 lb·ft. All five describe the same torque.
A worked example
A reviewer compares two sports cars. The European car lists 480 N·m and the American one 460 lb·ft. Converting, 480 N·m is 354 lb·ft, and 460 lb·ft is 624 N·m. The American car has a third more torque. Without the conversion the numbers would suggest the opposite.
Reading small print
Some brochures give torque at the wheels, others at the crank, others "with overboost" for a few seconds. Two listings of 400 N·m can mean different things. When you compare, note the rpm and the conditions, and then convert N·m to lb·ft on like-for-like numbers.
Tractors and trucks
A truck engine of 13 litres makes 2,000 to 3,000 N·m, 1,475 to 2,213 lb·ft, and farm tractors produce similar values at low rpm. Fleet managers compare torque with the towed mass and with the gradient, using kN·m and tonnes.
Torque in the power-train
A gearbox multiplies torque and divides speed. A reduction of 4 to 1 turns a 100 N·m, 73.8 lb·ft, input into 400 N·m, 295 lb·ft, at a quarter of the speed. Power stays the same apart from small losses, a useful check on any figures you read.
Hybrid and electric figures
A hybrid system may quote a combined torque that the engine and motor never reach at the same moment. If a system lists 300 N·m from the engine and 200 N·m from the motor, the sum of 500 N·m, 369 lb·ft, is a theoretical maximum. Always check whether a headline number is peak, combined or continuous.
Torque curves
A flat curve, for instance 250 N·m from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm, means the engine pulls well over a wide range. In lb·ft that is 184 from 1,800 to 5,000 rpm. A turbocharged engine reaches its peak early, a naturally aspirated one later.
Two routes to one answer
You can go from N·m to lb·ft directly with 0.7376, or via kgf·m: divide by 9.807 and multiply by 7.233. If the results disagree, a digit was copied wrongly.
Diesel and petrol side by side
A diesel usually has more torque but less power per litre. A 2.0-litre diesel with 400 N·m and 140 kW compares with a petrol of 300 N·m and 180 kW. In lb·ft, 295 against 221. The diesel feels stronger in low gears and the petrol revs more freely.
Crank torque and wheel torque
A dyno at the wheels reads about 12 to 18 per cent lower than the figure at the crank because of drivetrain losses. A car advertised at 400 N·m, 295 lb·ft, may show 340 N·m, 251 lb·ft, on a rolling road. A “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation should only be compared between measurements made at the same point.
Torque and acceleration
Acceleration depends on torque at the wheels, which equals engine torque times the total gear ratio. An engine with 200 N·m, a first gear of 3.5 and a final drive of 3.9 puts 2,730 N·m, 2,014 lb·ft, on the driven wheels. A 0.3 m wheel radius then gives a push of 9,100 N.
Weather and dyno corrections
Dyno results are corrected to standard air conditions so that cars tested on different days can be compared. A hot, humid day can cost an engine 5 per cent of its torque. Corrected figures in N·m and lb·ft refer to the same reference, usually 25 °C and 99 kPa.
Electric bicycles
The motors of electric bicycles produce 40 to 85 N·m, 30 to 63 lb·ft, at the crank. A cyclist adds about 25 to 40 N·m on average and 85 N·m at peak. Makers of mid-drive motors quote torque as the main figure in their catalogues, in N·m in Europe and lb·ft in America.
Small engines and mowers
The engine of a lawn mower makes 10 to 14 lb·ft, 13.6 to 19 N·m, and a chainsaw about 2 to 3 N·m, 1.5 to 2.2 lb·ft. Garden-machinery catalogues in the United States give torque in lb·ft at a given rpm, usually as "gross" figures that exceed the "net" values quoted elsewhere.
More values for convert N·m to lb·ft
A longer list of conversions
If the value you need is not in the first list, these further conversions may be close enough to read off directly:
- 0.1 N·m = 0.0737562 lb·ft
- 0.5 N·m = 0.368781 lb·ft
- 3 N·m = 2.21269 lb·ft
- 4 N·m = 2.95025 lb·ft
- 7 N·m = 5.16294 lb·ft
- 15 N·m = 11.0634 lb·ft
- 20 N·m = 14.7512 lb·ft
- 75 N·m = 55.3172 lb·ft
- 200 N·m = 147.512 lb·ft
- 500 N·m = 368.781 lb·ft
- 2,000 N·m = 1,475.12 lb·ft
- 10,000 N·m = 7,375.62 lb·ft
Common slips with a “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation
Multiplying by 1.3558
From N·m to lb·ft the number falls. If 100 N·m became 135.6, you used the factor for the opposite direction.
Mixing lb·ft and in·lb
One lb·ft is 12 in·lb. Reading 25 in·lb as 25 lb·ft would give a value twelve times too large. Check the unit on the wrench or the chart.
Mixing N·m and daN·m
One daN·m is 10 N·m. A value of 9 daN·m is 90 N·m, not 9 N·m. Misreading it makes a joint ten times too loose.
Short answers
How do I convert N·m to lb·ft?
Multiply the N·m figure by 0.7376.
How many lb·ft is 100 N·m?
73.76 lb·ft.
How many lb·ft is 25 N·m?
18.44 lb·ft.
How many N·m is 1 lb·ft?
1.3558 N·m.
Does my number leave my device?
No, the calculation runs in your browser.
More pages and a wrap-up
For other torque conversions see Convert km to mi, Convert mi to km, Convert °C to °F, Convert °F to °C, Convert mi² to acres, Convert ft/s to mph, Convert mph to m/s, Convert psi to kPa, Convert cm² to m². The reverse direction is Convert lb·ft to N·m.
In short, a “convert N·m to lb·ft” calculation comes down to multiplying by 0.7376 and writing the unit beside the answer. Your number is computed locally, with no account and no upload.