Torque unit converter

Last reviewed: 2026-08-29

Convert between lbf·ft, N·m, kgf·m and lbf·in. Type in any field and the others update as you go.

The conversion factors

1 lbf·ft = 1.35582 N·m. 1 kgf·m = 9.80665 N·m. 1 lbf·ft = 12 lbf·in.

The last one causes real damage: wheel figures are always lbf·ft, never lbf·in. Reading a wheel spec as lbf·in would leave the fasteners at a twelfth of the clamping force they need.

Why the unit matters on a wheel

A lug nut or bolt is tightened to clamp the wheel against the hub with enough force to keep it from working loose under braking and cornering, without stretching the stud past its yield point. That window is narrow. Mixing up N·m and lbf·ft moves the actual clamping force by about 36% (from the 1.35582 factor above); mixing up kgf·m and lbf·ft moves it by about 623% (1 kgf·m is 7.233 lbf·ft), because those two units differ by roughly a factor of seven rather than a third. Either mix-up can leave the fasteners loose enough to walk off the hub or tight enough to warp the rotor or snap the stud, depending on which direction the swap ran.

Which wrench to use

A click-type torque wrench is set to the target figure and gives a distinct click the instant that torque is reached, so the operator stops pulling right there. A beam-type wrench shows the applied torque on a scale continuously and relies on the operator watching it and stopping at the right mark. Either style works for wheel fasteners as long as it is set to, or read in, the same unit the figure was published in — the converter above exists so that step never has to be a mental calculation done by eye under a car.

Look up your car's figure: torque specifications by make and model.