Pounds to Tons (lbs to tons)

How to convert pounds to tons

Divide the pounds by 2,000 for U.S. tons:

tons = lb ÷ 2,000

5,000 lb ÷ 2,000 = 2.5 tons. In the U.S., “ton” means the short ton of 2,000 pounds. The result also shows the metric tonne (1,000 kg, 2,204.62 lb) and the British long ton (2,240 lb), because shipping papers, scrap prices and foreign specifications often use them. To go the other way, use tons to lbs, which has a switch for each kind of ton.

Pounds to tons chart

80,000 lb is 40 tons, the federal gross weight limit for a truck on the Interstate highways without a special permit.

Three tons side by side

A quote “per ton” from a foreign supplier is usually per tonne, about 10% more material than a U.S. ton. Contracts and bills of lading often write “MT” for metric ton and “ST” or “net ton” for the U.S. ton; “gross ton” means the long ton.

Gravel, vehicles and loads

Landscape materials are sold by the ton or the cubic yard: a ton of gravel covers about 0.7 cubic yard, depending on the stone. The gravel calculator converts area and depth to tons. Vehicle weights are given in pounds — a midsize car is about 3,500 lb, or 1.75 tons — and towing and payload ratings too. Air-conditioner “tons” are a different unit altogether: a ton of cooling is 12,000 BTU per hour, not a weight.

Rounding on weight tickets

Truck scales and scrap yards print weight tickets in pounds and bill by the ton to two decimals: 7,460 lb is 3.73 tons. Bulk prices “per ton” therefore apply to the decimal tons, not to whole tons, so a load of 3.73 tons at $40 a ton costs $149.20. If a ticket shows kilograms, divide by 907.18 for U.S. tons or by 1,000 for metric tonnes.

Pounds, kilograms and tons

For the metric weight as the main answer, use lbs to kg; 2,000 lb is 907.18 kg.