My torque wrench reads in ft·lb but I'm following a German repair guide that lists 90 N·m for the lug nuts. Did I set it right at 66 ft·lb?

Close — 66 ft·lb × 1.3558 ≈ 89.5 N·m, which rounds to the 90 N·m spec. 66 ft·lb is correct.

I tightened a bolt to 25 ft·lb but the part is now showing stress marks. The spec sheet says 25 N·m, not ft·lb — did I over-torque it?

Yes. 25 ft·lb ≈ 33.9 N·m, which is significantly more than the 25 N·m specified — about 36% over spec. Re-torque to roughly 18.4 ft·lb (25 N·m) and inspect the part for damage.

Why do some small fastener torque specs use inch-pounds instead of foot-pounds?

Foot-pounds become impractically small fractions for light fasteners — 5 ft·lb is already a substantial torque for a small screw. Inch-pounds (1 ft·lb = 12 in·lb) give finer resolution for low-torque specs, which is why electronics and small-engine manuals often use them instead.

Foot-Pounds to Newton-Meters Converter

Enter a value to instantly convert between torque units.

From

Precision4 dp

1 Foot-Pound = 1.3558 Newton-Meter

Key Formulas

Newton-Meter → Foot-Pound

ft·lb = N·m × 0.737562

Foot-Pound → Newton-Meter

N·m = ft·lb × 1.35582

Newton-Meter → Inch-Pound

in·lb = N·m × 8.85075

Inch-Pound → Newton-Meter

N·m = in·lb × 0.112985

Formula

N·m = ft·lb × 1.3558179483

US torque wrenches and impact tools are commonly marked in foot-pounds, but European and Asian vehicle manuals, and most engineering torque charts, specify values in newton-meters. This conversion lets you compare a wrench reading against a metric spec sheet without guessing.

Source: NIST SP 811, Table B.9

Last reviewed: 2026-06-11 · see our methodology

Frequently Asked Questions

Real-World Examples

A common engine accessory bolt torque on US-market vehicles.

20 ft·lb = 27.12 N·m

Lug nut torque on many mid-size sedans.

80 ft·lb = 108.47 N·m

Axle nut torque on a full-size pickup truck.

150 ft·lb = 203.37 N·m

Torque spec for valve cover bolts on a small engine.

7 ft·lb = 9.49 N·m

nm to ft lb nm to in lb in lb to nm kgf m to nm nm to kgf m

Foot-Pounds to Newton-Meters Converter

Key Formulas

Formula

Frequently Asked Questions

Real-World Examples

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