Convert Newton Metres to Foot-Pounds

One newton metre is 0.7376 pound-feet. The tables below cover both directions across the range a torque wrench is normally set to, plus pound-inches, which is where most torque errors actually happen.

The conversion

One pound-foot equals 1.35582 newton metres. To go from pound-feet to newton metres, multiply by 1.356; to go the other way, multiply newton metres by 0.7376. Both directions are given in full below so there is nothing to calculate at the bench.

Pound-feet to newton metres

lb-ft Nm
5 6.8
10 13.6
15 20.3
20 27.1
25 33.9
30 40.7
35 47.5
40 54.2
45 61.0
50 67.8
55 74.6
60 81.3
65 88.1
70 94.9
75 101.7
80 108.5
85 115.2
90 122.0
95 128.8
100 135.6
105 142.4
110 149.1
115 155.9
120 162.7
125 169.5
130 176.3
135 183.0
140 189.8
145 196.6
150 203.4
155 210.2
160 216.9
165 223.7
170 230.5
175 237.3
180 244.0
185 250.8
190 257.6
195 264.4
200 271.2

Newton metres to pound-feet

Nm lb-ft
10 7.4
20 14.8
30 22.1
40 29.5
50 36.9
60 44.3
70 51.6
80 59.0
90 66.4
100 73.8
110 81.1
120 88.5
130 95.9
140 103.3
150 110.6
160 118.0
170 125.4
180 132.8
190 140.1
200 147.5
210 154.9
220 162.3
230 169.6
240 177.0
250 184.4
260 191.8
270 199.1
280 206.5
290 213.9
300 221.3

Pound-inches, and the mistake that strips threads

Pound-inches and pound-feet are a factor of twelve apart, and confusing them is the most expensive error in torque work: a figure read as 100 lb-ft when the drawing meant 100 lb-in applies twelve times the intended load. Small fasteners, alloy castings and plastic housings are almost always specified in pound-inches or newton metres precisely because pound-feet is too coarse a unit for them.

Pound-inches to pound-feet and newton metres

lb-in lb-ft Nm
10 0.83 1.13
20 1.67 2.26
30 2.50 3.39
40 3.33 4.52
50 4.17 5.65
60 5.00 6.78
70 5.83 7.91
80 6.67 9.04
90 7.50 10.17
100 8.33 11.30
110 9.17 12.43
120 10.00 13.56
130 10.83 14.69
140 11.67 15.82
150 12.50 16.95
160 13.33 18.08
170 14.17 19.21
180 15.00 20.34
190 15.83 21.47
200 16.67 22.60

Setting the figure on the wrench

Convert once, set once, and check the scale you are actually reading — many click wrenches carry two, and the secondary scale is easy to set by mistake. Where a value falls between graduations, set the nearer graduation rather than estimating between them. A wrench is only accurate within its stated range, and the bottom fifth of the scale is the least reliable part of it.

Method and precision

One pound-foot is exactly 1.3558179483314003 newton metres, derived from the SI definitions of the pound (0.45359237 kg), standard gravity (9.80665 m/s²) and the foot (0.3048 m). Table values are rounded to one decimal place for display; the converter above uses the exact factor. Pound-inch figures are pound-feet divided by exactly twelve.

Torque wrenches and accessories are in torque equipment.