Convert Poundal Feet to Pound-force Inches
Poundal Foot (pdl·ft) to Pound-force Inch (lbf·in) unit conversion — enter any value below to get an instant result, or use the table for common values.
Results from this calculator are estimates provided for general informational purposes only, based on formulas, rates, and standards commonly accepted as of 2026. Figures may differ slightly from other calculators or professional sources due to rounding methods, differing assumptions, or regional regulations, and rules may change over time. Always consult a qualified professional — such as a financial advisor, healthcare provider, or other relevant specialist — before making decisions based on these results.
Result
1 pdl·ft = 0.3729714 lbf·in
1 Poundal Foot = 0.3729714 Pound-force Inches
1 Pound-force Inch = 2.6811707 Poundal Feet
1 pdl·ft in every supported unit
Conversion chart: Poundal Foot to Pound-force Inches
Conversion table
| Poundal Foot (pdl·ft) | Pound-force Inch (lbf·in) |
|---|---|
| 0.01 pdl·ft | 0.003729714 lbf·in |
| 0.1 pdl·ft | 0.03729714 lbf·in |
| 1 pdl·ft | 0.3729714 lbf·in |
| 2 pdl·ft | 0.7459428 lbf·in |
| 3 pdl·ft | 1.1189142 lbf·in |
| 5 pdl·ft | 1.864857 lbf·in |
| 10 pdl·ft | 3.729714 lbf·in |
| 20 pdl·ft | 7.459428 lbf·in |
| 50 pdl·ft | 18.64857 lbf·in |
| 100 pdl·ft | 37.29714 lbf·in |
| 1000 pdl·ft | 372.9714 lbf·in |
Poundal Foot (pdl·ft)
Definition: A torque unit from the English Engineering System's "absolute" branch, equal to the twisting effect of a 1-poundal force applied at a 1-foot radius — the imperial mass-based analog of the newton meter rather than a gravitational unit.
History: Introduced alongside the poundal in 19th-century British engineering and physics as an imperial torque unit derived purely from mass and acceleration rather than Earth's gravity, avoiding the ambiguity of gravitational "force" units.
Current use: Rarely used today outside historical British engineering texts and physics education contexts illustrating the mass-based vs. gravity-based imperial unit systems.
Pound-force Inch (lbf·in)
Definition: A finer US customary torque unit equal to the twisting effect of a 1-pound-force applied at a 1-inch radius, used for smaller fasteners than pound-force foot comfortably describes.
History: Derived from pound-force foot via the standard 12-inches-per-foot relationship, adopted for small-fastener torque specifications where foot-scale units would be imprecise.
Current use: The standard unit for small bolt and screw torque specifications in US automotive, electronics, and appliance assembly, commonly seen on inch-pound torque screwdrivers and small torque wrenches.
Supported Units
| Unit | Symbol | In Newton Meters |
|---|---|---|
| Newton Meter | N·m | 1 N·m |
| Newton Centimeter | N·cm | 0.01 N·m |
| Kilonewton Meter | kN·m | 1000 N·m |
| Kilogram-force Meter | kgf·m | 9.80665 N·m |
| Kilogram-force Centimeter | kgf·cm | 0.0980665 N·m |
| Gram-force Meter | gf·m | 0.00980665 N·m |
| Pound-force Foot | lbf·ft | 1.3558179 N·m |
| Pound-force Inch | lbf·in | 0.11298483 N·m |
| Ounce-force Inch | ozf·in | 0.0070615518 N·m |
| Poundal Foot | pdl·ft | 0.04214011 N·m |
About These Parameters
- Value
- The number you want to convert, expressed in the "From" unit. Accepts decimals.
- From Unit
- The torque unit your input value is currently measured in.
- To Unit
- The torque unit you want the result converted into. Use the swap button to flip From and To instantly.
How Torque Conversion Works
The Formula
Every unit here is defined by a fixed multiplier relative to the newton meter. To convert a value from one unit to another:
result = value × (factor of "From" unit ÷ factor of "To" unit)
For Poundal Foot → Pound-force Inch: multiply by 0.3729714. For example, 1 pdl·ft × 0.3729714 = 0.3729714 lbf·in.
Engine Torque and Horsepower
Engine torque is the twisting force a crankshaft delivers at a given moment, and it's what actually gets a vehicle moving from a stop — horsepower, by contrast, is torque multiplied by engine speed (rpm), so a high-torque engine can feel much stronger off the line even with a modest horsepower rating. Torque wrenches use these same units to tighten fasteners to a manufacturer-specified value: too little torque and a bolt can loosen under vibration, too much and it can strip threads, stretch the fastener past its yield point, or crack the material it's threaded into.
Torque vs. Moment of Force: Same Physics, Different Context
Torque and moment of force share the exact same units and formula (force × radius or lever-arm distance), but engineering convention reserves "torque" for twisting effects on rotating shafts, engines, motors, and fasteners, while "moment" describes bending effects in stationary structures like beams and columns. There's no physical difference between a "50 N·m torque" and a "50 N·m moment"; the distinction is purely about which kind of problem — a spinning drivetrain versus a static beam — an engineer is solving, which is why this site offers a separate Moment of Force Converter for the structural use case.
Example
1 pdl·ft equals 0.3729714 lbf·in. For scale, a mid-size sedan's engine might produce around 300 N·m of peak torque — roughly 7119.1081 pdl·ft — while a typical lug nut on a passenger car is torqued to about 100-140 N·m with a torque wrench during a tire change.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Pound-force Inches are in 1 Poundal Foot?
1 Poundal Foot (pdl·ft) equals exactly 0.3729714 Pound-force Inches (lbf·in).
What's the difference between torque and horsepower?
Torque is the twisting force an engine or motor produces at a given instant; horsepower is torque multiplied by rotational speed (rpm), representing the rate at which work is done. An engine can have high torque at low rpm (good for towing and acceleration off the line) without necessarily having high peak horsepower, which depends on how well torque is sustained across the rev range.
Why do torque wrench specifications sometimes use kgf·cm or lbf·in instead of N·m?
Torque specifications scale with fastener size: large bolts (engine mounts, lug nuts) are naturally reported in newton meters or pound-force feet, while small fasteners (electronics, small appliances, camera mounts) need finer-grained units like newton centimeters, kilogram-force centimeters, or pound-force/ounce-force inches to avoid awkward decimals.
How accurate are these conversions?
Every conversion factor used here is the exact, internationally recognized value (e.g. 1 lbf·ft = exactly 1.3558179483314 N·m, derived from the internationally standardized pound, foot, and standard gravity) — results are limited only by floating-point display precision, not by rounded conversion constants.