How to use the wheel and axle calculator
Find the mechanical advantage and effort force of a wheel and axle. Enter wheel radius, axle radius, load force in the fields above; the mechanical advantage, effort force needed are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Common searches this calculator answers include “wheel and axle advantage”, “winch effort”, “steering wheel force”, “calculate wheel and axle”, “find mechanical advantage”.
Formula
Variables
- R — Wheel radius (m)
- r — Axle radius (m)
- load — Load force (N)
Worked example
With wheel radius = 0.5 m, axle radius = 0.1 m, load force = 600 N, the calculator gives mechanical advantage ≈ 5; effort force needed ≈ 120 N.
Frequently asked questions
What is the wheel and axle calculator used for?
Find the mechanical advantage and effort force of a wheel and axle. It helps with questions such as “wheel and axle advantage”, “winch effort”, “steering wheel force”.
What is the formula for the wheel and axle calculation?
Mechanical advantage = R / r. Effort force needed (N) = load × r / R. Here R is wheel radius (m), r is axle radius (m), load is load force (N).
What inputs do I need for the wheel and axle calculator?
You need wheel radius in m, axle radius in m, load force in N. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use the wheel and axle calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the wheel and axle result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.