Nm to ft-lbs Converter | Newton-meters to Foot Pounds (2024)

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What do Nm and ft-lbs measure?How to convert newton-meters to foot-pounds?How to convert ft-lbs to Nm?Torque conversion calculator: example of useOther units of torque - kgf-cm to Nm, J/rad to Nm and kgm to NmFAQs

This Nm to ft-lbs converter is a simple tool that converts between five different units of torque. We will teach how to convert newton-meters to foot pounds and provide you with handy conversion tables, where you can look up any value you need. If you need a refresher on the notion of torque, you may want to visit our torque calculator.

Read on to learn why we need to use these units in the first place, how to convert between them, and why the kg-cm unit of torque doesn't make much sense!

🙋 If you ever need to jump between different force units, go straight to Omni's force converter.

What do Nm and ft-lbs measure?

Newton-meters (Nm for short) and foot-pounds (ft-lbs) are units of torque, also called the moment of force or the rotational force. Torque measures the tendency of an object to rotate if you apply some force to it.

Imagine an object, such as a lever, that has one fixed point. We will call that stationary point the pivot point. If you start pushing or pulling the lever in a straight line, the object will begin to rotate around that pivot point. The further from the pivot point you apply the force, the bigger the rotation.

The product of the force you apply and the distance from the pivot point is called torque. If you're a fan of the SI unit system, you will probably measure it in newton-meters. If, however, you use the FPS (foot-pound-second) system, you might be more familiar with the unit of foot-pounds.

💡 Remember that foot pounds and pounds-force are not the same unit, although their symbols are quite similar. You can express torque in foot pounds (ft-lbs), but not in pounds-force (lbf) - that is a measure of force.

How to convert newton-meters to foot-pounds?

The conversion from Nm to ft-lbs is very simple. You can, of course, use our torque conversion calculator, but it's straightforward to calculate it by hand, too! All you need to remember is that 1 Nm is equal to 0.7376 ft-lbs.

The conversion table below might come in handy, should you need to convert the most fundamental values of torque. If your value doesn't appear in the table, you might want to give our Nm to ft-lbs conversion calculator a try!

Newton-meters

Foot-pounds

1 Nm

0.738 ft-lbs

2 Nm

1.475 ft-lbs

5 Nm

3.688 ft-lbs

10 Nm

7.376 ft-lbs

20 Nm

14.751 ft-lbs

25 Nm

18.439 ft-lbs

30 Nm

22.127 ft-lbs

35 Nm

25.815 ft-lbs

40 Nm

29.502 ft-lbs

50 Nm

36.878 ft-lbs

100 Nm

73.756 ft-lbs

How to convert ft-lbs to Nm?

If you're trying the opposite torque units conversion, don't worry: it's equally simple! This time, all you need to know is that 1 ft-lb is equivalent to 1.3558 Nm. This means that to convert from foot-pounds to newton-meters, you need to multiply the value you have by the factor of 1.3558.

For your convenience, we have prepared a table with the simplest conversions listed out. If your value doesn't appear in this table, go ahead and input it into the second field of our Nm to ft-lbs converter!

Foot-pounds

Newton-meters

1 ft-lbs

1.356 Nm

2 ft-lbs

2.712 Nm

5 ft-lbs

6.779 Nm

10 ft-lbs

13.558 Nm

20 ft-lbs

27.116 Nm

25 ft-lbs

33.895 Nm

30 ft-lbs

40.675 Nm

35 ft-lbs

47.454 Nm

40 ft-lbs

54.233 Nm

50 ft-lbs

67.791 Nm

100 ft-lbs

135.582 Nm

Torque conversion calculator: example of use

Let's imagine you're working with gears. You're setting up a gear train consisting of three different wheels and you want the output torque to be equal to 12 ft-lbs. Unfortunately, the dynamometer you have displays the measured value in newton-meters only. What should the reading of the dynamometer be?

  1. Check which unit you're working with. You know the value is 12 ft-lbs.

  2. You also know that one ft-lb is equivalent to 1.3558 Nm.

  3. All you have to do is multiply these two values:

    12 × 1.3558 = 16.27 Nm

  4. The dynamometer needs to display a value of 16.27 Nm.

You can also use our Nm to ft-lbs converter to save some time!

Other units of torque - kgf-cm to Nm, J/rad to Nm and kgm to Nm

Even though the most popular units displayed on a torque wrench are Nm and ft-lbs, there are also other units you might find quite handy. Our calculator will automatically convert any value you input into two additional units: kgf-cm and J/rad.

  • kg-cm are units of torque that, interestingly, we usually write down with improper notation. You probably noticed that when you try to convert kg-cm to any other SI units, you will get a different unit than that for newtons multiplied by meters! To make this notation correct, you should add a letter f, writing down kgf-cm. In this situation, kgf means kilograms of force, which are simply kilograms multiplied by the gravitational acceleration, g.

    If you want to convert kgf-cm to Nm, all you need to do is multiply the first value by 0.09807 - one-hundredth of the gravitational acceleration of Earth:

    1 kgf-cm = 0.09807 Nm = 0.07233 ft-lbs

  • J/rad are also alternative units of torque, commonly used when you need the value of torque in calculations of work or power. These units are equivalent to Nm:

    1 J/rad = 1 Nm = 0.738 ft-lbs

  • Kilopondometer is another unit of torque and energy, abbreviated as kp⋅m or kgm. This means the force applied to one kilogram as a result of gravitational acceleration:

    1 kgm = 9.80665 Nm

FAQs

How do I convert inch-lbs to foot-lbs?

Divide a value in inch-pounds by 12 to get the value in foot-pounds. The ratio between in-lbs and ft-lbs is analogous to that between inches and feet.

What is 10 Nm in inch-pounds?

10 Nm equals 88.51 in-lbs. To get any torque value in inch-pounds, you need to multiply the number in newton-meters by 8.851.

How do I convert Nm to ft-lbs torque?

Multiply the value in newton-meters by 0.7376 to get the torque in foot-pounds. Alternatively, you can divide by 1.356 to obtain the same result.

How do I convert kg-m to Nm?

One kilogram (of force) meter equals 9.807 newton-meters. This is because one kgf (kilogram of force) is the gravitational force acting on a 1 kg object. This conversion factor equals the absolute value of gravitational acceleration. The kg-m unit is actually an abbreviation of the correct kgf-m one.

Nm to ft-lbs Converter | Newton-meters to Foot Pounds (2024)

FAQs

How do you convert Nm to foot-pounds? ›

One foot-pound (ft/lb) is equal to 1.356 newton-meters (Nm). To convert newton-meters (Nm) to foot-pounds (ft/lbs) all you need to do is divide your figure (Nm) by 1.356.

What is 12 newton-meters in foot-pounds? ›

My original answer when divided by 9.8m/s² equals about 8.85 ft. lbs which is consistent with the other answers and expresses the answer in lb. force.

What's the difference between newton-meters and foot-pounds of torque? ›

Torque is usually measured in Newton metres (Nm) or you might see the imperial measurement of lb-ft (pounds-feet), although this unit of measurement is pretty outdated by now. If you want to calculate the conversion for yourself, 1 Nm is equivalent to 0.738 lb/ft.

How much is 10 Nm in ft/lbs? ›

Newton Meter to Foot-pound Conversion Table
Newton Meter [N*m]Foot-pound [ft*lbf]
10 N*m7.375621493 ft*lbf
20 N*m14.751242986 ft*lbf
50 N*m36.878107465 ft*lbf
100 N*m73.75621493 ft*lbf
7 more rows

How do you convert Nm to in lbs torque? ›

Conversion Formula: Newton Meters x 8.85074579 = Inch Pounds

800-871-5022 More information can be found at www.HQ-Drill.com.

What is 100 foot-pounds in Nm? ›

Torque Conversion — Ft./Lbs. (Nm)
Ft./Lbs.Nm
97131.5
98133.0
99134.2
100135.6
21 more rows

How many Nm is 20 ft lbs? ›

How to Convert Foot-Pounds (ft/lbs) to Newton-Meters (Nm)
ft/lbsNm
20ft-lb27.12Nm
21ft-lb28.47Nm
22ft-lb29.83Nm
23ft-lb31.18Nm
16 more rows
Aug 14, 2019

How to read Nm on torque wrench? ›

Look at the meter at the bottom of the torque wrench.

The numbers represent the amount of torque in either foot-pounds (ft. -lbs.) or Newton meters (Nm). Wherever the arrow is pointed designates the amount of torque that you're applying to a lug or nut.

How to calculate foot pounds of torque? ›

The “pound-foot” (lb-ft) is a unit of torque and a vector measurement that is created by one pound of force acting on a one foot lever. The formula for torque in the instance of tightening a fastener would be: Torque equals force times radius, or T = FR. When tightening a bolt, “R” would be the length of your wrench.

Is 500 Nm torque good? ›

What is considered good torque in a car changes with technology. But realistically, any normal car or SUV with 500Nm or more is going to be considered pretty torquey. But it's also increasingly common to see cars with more than 600Nm torque, at which point, the thing is pretty potent.

Is 300 Nm torque good? ›

Typically, a car with a torque output of 200 Nm or greater is considered to have adequate torque, although this may vary depending on the vehicle and its intended purpose. For instance, a lightweight and aerodynamically designed sports car may have a lower torque output but still deliver good performance.

Is 700 Nm torque good? ›

A "good" amount of torque can range anywhere from 200 to 700 Nm or more, but ultimately it is up to the manufacturer and buyer to determine what is best for their specific needs and preferences. If given a choice, would you prefer a car which has more torque or more horsepower?

How tight is hand tight? ›

Hand tight means you can use a simple, non power tool such as a wrench or screwdriver for a slight but necessary mechanical advantage. Finger tight means just as tight as your fingers can tighten something, no tools necessary.

What is 50 Nm in foot pounds? ›

How to convert newton-meters to foot-pounds?
Newton-metersFoot-pounds
35 Nm25.815 ft-lbs
40 Nm29.502 ft-lbs
50 Nm36.878 ft-lbs
100 Nm73.756 ft-lbs
7 more rows

What is 30 Nm in foot pounds? ›

Newton-Meter to Foot-Pound Conversion Table
Newton-metersFoot-pounds
30 Nm22.13 lb-ft
31 Nm22.86 lb-ft
32 Nm23.6 lb-ft
33 Nm24.34 lb-ft
36 more rows

How many foot-pounds is 10000 Nm? ›

Complete with a whopping 7,376 pound-feet (10,000 Newton-meters) of torque, it has the ability to sprint to 60 miles per hour (96 kilometers per hour) 1.9 seconds, and continue on to a top speed of 250 mph (402 kmh).

How much is 15 Nm in torque? ›

15Nm is 11.6 ft-lbs ............. and if I can't pull that hard with an Allen key, it won't be tight enough? As above on the torque that is sometimes needed on saddle bolts. (And to 3 significant figures it's 11.1 ft lb.)

How many inch pounds is 32 Nm? ›

Torque Conversion Chart Newton Meters to Inch Pounds
Newton Meters (N-m)Inch Pounds (in-lbs)
32 =283.22
33 =292.07
34 =300.93
35 =309.78
28 more rows
May 28, 2012

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