Torque Wrench Foot-Pound to Newton-Meter Converter
Convert your torque specification
Enter the torque component from your procedure. Conversion does not choose a tightening specification.
0 through 1,000,000 ft-lb equivalent; plain decimals only (up to 128 characters). These are converter limits, not wrench ratings.
Unit switching preserves the full physical quantity, including digits beyond the input display. Editing the number starts a new conversion.
Torque conversion
Enter a torque value
Results appear immediately in ft-lb, N·m and in-lb. Zero is a valid conversion.
Unit-reference data, not a recommended vehicle torque setting.
Optional click-style wrench helper
Check the rated range and, only for a confirmed uniform scale, compare a modeled mark with the exact target. Leave an unknown scale undefined.
Changing scale unit clears its entered limits and marks to prevent mixing units.
Do not infer an origin of zero or an increment from the number of clicks. Compound, nonuniform or unknown scales cannot be modeled here. All scale inputs use the same converter bounds above.
Enter a valid torque above to show the exact converted target. No marked setting is suggested.
A modeled scale mark is not an approved tightening setting. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, calibration requirements, extension geometry, wrench type and tightening procedure.
For 80 N·m + 90°, convert the 80 N·m torque component only. The additional 90° is a separate procedure step; this tool does not calculate angle tightening or infer a specification.
How to use
Convert torque between ft-lb, N·m and in-lb, with an optional manufacturer-defined uniform-scale wrench helper.
Convert a supplied torque specification between foot-pounds, newton-meters and inch-pounds. Enter the torque number and select its unit. Valid inputs update all three results immediately. The default is blank so an example number cannot be mistaken for a vehicle recommendation. JavaScript enables the converter; this guide, examples and chart remain readable without it.
Switching units retains the physical quantity; editing the input establishes a new quantity. Choose zero, one or two decimal places for the displayed conversion. Copy conversion exports the validated values and limitations. Reset clears inputs, closes the optional helper and restores two display decimals.
Torque conversion formulas
Here ft-lb means pound-force foot, a unit of torque. N·m = ft-lb × 1.3558179483314004. In the other direction, ft-lb = N·m ÷ 1.3558179483314004. Inch-pounds = foot-pounds × 12; foot-pounds = inch-pounds ÷ 12.
The factor follows the exact definitions 1 lb = 0.45359237 kg, standard gravity = 9.80665 m/s² and 1 ft = 0.3048 m: 0.45359237 × 9.80665 × 0.3048 = 1.3558179483314004. NIST’s torque conversion table prints the shorter 1.355818 value. This converter retains the longer factor rather than rounding at each conversion step.
The engine stores a rational foot-pound quantity. Decimal inputs and the conversion factor are represented as integer ratios. Display rounding never feeds back into range checks or marked-scale arithmetic. A repeating decimal target is shown as an exact fraction in the helper, accompanied by an approximate decimal.
Worked examples
Foot-pounds to newton-meters
50 ft-lb × 1.3558179483314004 = 67.79089741657002 N·m. The two-decimal display is 67.79 N·m.
Newton-meters to foot-pounds
80 N·m ÷ 1.3558179483314004 displays as 59.00 ft-lb. This is an arithmetic example only, not a tightening specification.
Inch-pounds to foot-pounds
120 in-lb ÷ 12 = 10 ft-lb, which displays as 13.56 N·m. Confusing 120 in-lb with 120 ft-lb creates a twelvefold difference.
Unit reference chart
Unit-reference data only — these are not recommended vehicle torque settings. Values are generated by the same engine as the converter, with N·m rounded to two decimals.
| ft-lb | N·m | in-lb |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 13.56 | 120 |
| 20 | 27.12 | 240 |
| 50 | 67.79 | 600 |
| 80 | 108.47 | 960 |
| 100 | 135.58 | 1200 |
| 150 | 203.37 | 1800 |
Reading wrench scales
Read the rated minimum and maximum for the exact wrench and selected scale unit. The optional helper first compares the converted target with those entered limits. It does not invent a range from the wrench type.
To model marks, explicitly confirm uniform spacing, enter the actual increment and identify the first marked value. The first value must lie inside the rated range and at least two modeled marks must fit. A scale starting at 22 with increments of 5 has marks 22, 27, 32 and so on; it is not the same grid as 0, 5, 10.
The helper compares the nearest grid mark with the unrounded target and reports mark minus target, plus the absolute difference. At a half-step it chooses the higher grid mark. A modeled grid can extend beyond the rated maximum, so an outside mark triggers a warning. The calculation never silently substitutes a rated endpoint. For unknown or compound scales, use the exact converted target and the tool’s own instructions rather than an invented increment.
Torque plus angle
For 80 N·m + 90°, convert the 80 N·m torque component only. The additional 90° is a separate procedure step; this tool does not calculate angle tightening or infer a specification.
Do not add degrees to a torque number, convert degrees into torque units or use the helper’s nearest mark as a replacement for a specified multi-step procedure.
Common mistakes
Check ft-lb versus in-lb before entering a value. Confirm that a dual-scale wrench’s sleeve and main scale use the unit you selected. Enter only the torque number; expressions, unit suffixes and torque-plus-angle strings receive no conversion. A displayed zero can be a rounded positive number, so reducing decimal places is not a way to establish a zero torque.
Changing the wrench scale unit clears its limits and marks to avoid reinterpreting old numbers in a different unit. Switching the primary converter unit preserves quantity. Those controls serve different purposes.
Calibration and extensions
Unit conversion cannot confirm calibration or tool condition. Use the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific wrench and procedure. Norbar provides separate extension-geometry guidance because a change in effective lever geometry can require a separate calculation. This converter applies no extension correction, calibration correction or tightening-procedure adjustment.
A modeled scale mark is not an approved tightening setting. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions, calibration requirements, extension geometry, wrench type and tightening procedure.
Assumptions and limitations
0 through 1,000,000 ft-lb equivalent; plain decimals only (up to 128 characters). These are converter limits, not wrench ratings. Zero is mathematically valid; wrench suitability remains separate. Negative torque, nonfinite values, exponent notation and malformed input are rejected. These units express torque magnitude; the converter does not model tightening direction.
The optional helper assumes a confirmed uniform grid starting at your entered first mark. It does not verify whether every modeled mark physically exists, interpret nonuniform/compound scales, recommend a tightening tolerance, select a wrench or infer vehicle-specific specifications. Exact fractions are retained when decimals repeat.
Calculation occurs within the current page. No history, cookies, persistent storage, tracking or calculation requests are added. Sitewide privacy choices remain separate. Copy happens only at your request; copied text is outside page memory.
FAQ
How do I convert ft-lb to N·m?
Multiply foot-pounds by 1.3558179483314004. For example, 50 ft-lb converts to 67.79 N·m at two display decimals.
How do I convert N·m to ft-lb?
Divide newton-meters by 1.3558179483314004. The reverse conversion uses the same factor, without an intermediate rounded reciprocal.
Are foot-pounds and inch-pounds interchangeable?
No. One foot-pound equals twelve inch-pounds. Always read the unit printed on the specification and wrench.
Is zero allowed?
Yes for the mathematical conversion. A zero result does not mean a wrench is rated to work at zero or that a fastener should be tightened to zero.
Does changing decimal places change the torque?
No. It changes display rounding only. The exact input ratio remains available for scale and range comparisons.
Why is there no nearest marked setting?
The model needs rated minimum and maximum, a known first marked value, a positive increment and confirmation of uniformly spaced marked settings. Unknown, incompatible or nonuniform scales receive no mark suggestion.
What happens at a half-step?
The uniform-grid model chooses the higher mark at an exact tie. That deterministic display rule is not an instruction to round a tightening specification upward.
Can I convert 80 N·m + 90°?
Convert only 80 N·m. The extra 90° is a separate angle step defined by the procedure. This converter does not calculate that step.
Does an in-range target establish tool accuracy?
No. It only compares numbers with your entered limits. It does not verify calibration, tool condition, technique or the suitability of a wrench.
Are conversions saved?
No recent-history feature is included. Inputs remain in this page’s memory; Reset clears them. Copy exports the validated conversion only when you select it.
Sources
References checked October 18, 2026. These support unit definitions and the distinction between conversion and tool-specific procedures; they do not supply vehicle torque specifications.