What Lb/Ft in Torque Means

To be able to use your car or truck to its maximum capability, you need to understand a vehicle's technical specifications, such as lb-ft torque (pound per foot toque). Many vehicle salespeople will rhyme off a vehicle's technical numbers, either assuming you know what they are talking about or in the hopes that you will equate a bigger number with better quality. When buying a truck to do heavy work, it's important to understand the torque its engine can provide so you can know if the vehicle can do the jobs you need it to do.

What Torque Measures

The standard torque measurement unit is pound per foot. What this is measuring is the amount of force needed to move one pound the distance of one foot in a circular motion. Essentially, you are measuring twisting power. When measuring torque in vehicles, you are measuring the amount of power the engine provides for turning the drive shaft. The higher your vehicle's torque, the more power your engine is providing. In many ways, measuring engine torque is similar to measuring engine horsepower. Depending on what you're looking for, increased torque can mean either speed or hauling capacity.

Load Capacity

Most people equate load capacity with the amount of weight a vehicle's suspension can carry. Although this is true, a vehicle's load capacity is also dependent upon the amount of torque its engine can provide. There is no point in having a suspension that can carry a heavy load if your engine can't move it. When shopping for a new or used vehicle, you want to make sure that the engine's torque matches with the load capacity. You may find that you need to upgrade the vehicle's engine so it will be powerful enough to get the job done.

Towing Capacity

Knowing the amount of torque your engine provides will also help you know your vehicle's towing capacity limits. Towing isn't always simply pulling a trailer behind your car or truck, but can also be pulling a friend out of the ditch or removing a tree stump from the back field. With your engine's torque capabilities in mind, you will quickly know whether or not your vehicle will be able to get the job done.

Maximizing Torque

Even a small diesel engine can provide more torque when it has to. There are a few things you can do to maximize your vehicle's torque production. To get the most out of your engine, keep the basic principles of simple machines in mind.

Gear ratio is the easiest way to get the most torque out of your engine. Keeping your engine in a lower gear will provide you with the greatest amount of torque. Higher revolutions in a low gear will give you the power you need. Redistributing load weight will also help you get the most out of your engine's torque. Since torque measures the energy needed to move one pound the distance of one foot, spreading your load out will allow your engine to move a greater weight.