550 vs 570 RC Motor [Complete Comparison Explained]

Whether you’re bashing or crawling, one thing will always haunt you. Does my RC have enough power to keep up? And this power directly comes from the motor.

Now, in the community people are wondering which motor is better between 550 vs 570. 

550 RC motors are more compact and easily fittable than 570 motors. Whether it’s a Traxxas slasher or Arrma Kraton, you can fit the 550 motors anywhere. Whereas, 570 motors are bigger. You can fit it inside the 1/10 off-road truck or monster truck. That’s where these motors shine. 

We’re going to answer all the questions you have. So, buckle up, hang in tight and let’s begin.

Things You Need to Know: Brushed or Brushless Motor

Before we even begin the comparison, there is something you should know first. There are 2 types of motors. One is the brushed motor and the other is the brushless motor.

We aren’t going too deep into the details here. But you should know more about brushed and brushless motors beforehand. But here are a few things you need to keep in mind. 

Brushed motors have small-pointy brushes surrounding the motor. These can deliver high rpm but the durability isn’t the best. 

On the other hand, brushless motors have no brushes. Brushless motors can last longer and give a consistent performance. In the long run, they are better.

Both 550 and 570 motors have a brushed and brushless version. Any one of them can satisfy you, depending on your needs.

Here’s a quick comparison among all the variations-

Features	Brushed 550 Motors	Brushless 550 Motors	Brushed 570 Motors	Brushless 570 Motors
Length	53 – 55 mm	53 – 55 mm	55 – 90 mm	55 – 90 mm
Torque	5800 – 22500 rpm	5800 – 32500rpm	15000 – 35000 rpm	15000 to 35000 rpm
ESC Compatibility	Brushed, sensored/sensorless	Brushless, sensorless	Brushed, sensored/sensorless	Brushless, sensored/ sensorless
Turn Rate	8 – 14	8 – 17	8 – 30	8 – 30

Head to Head Difference: 550 vs 570

First thing first, what is a 550 motor?

550 RC motor means the motor is 53 – 55mm in length. It is just another way to differentiate the size. One way to look at this, the 550 motor is a bit bigger (1 cm) than the 540 motor. 

Now let’s know what is a 570 motor?

In layman’s terms, 570 motors simply mean that the motor is 56 or 57 mm and above long. 

With that out of the way, now let’s take a look at the difference. 

Length

Firstly, anything between 53 -55 mm is 550 motors. However, the range for 570 motors starts from 56 mm. The average 570 motor length is 87 mm. So the average 570 motors are much bigger than the standard 53mm 550 motors.

However, there are some custom 550 motors that can go beyond 60 mm. But those are niche cases where the torque is capped.

You can put 570 motors in your SUV or bashing cars. Because 570 motors can deliver a higher torque ratio than 550 models. Plus, these cars have enough space for you to install the 570 motors. 

Speed & Torque

The 550 motor’s rpm range is from 5800 – 22500. The motor will spin slowly at a lower rpm but can produce better torque. The higher the rpm the faster it spins, the more power torque it can produce.

For a 570 motor, it can do all the things that 550 models can do, but better. It can produce a higher value of rpm. It can range from 15000 to 35000. 

Let’s get one thing straight. Does higher rpm mean faster cars? 

No, torque can be higher at lower rpm. It means your car will have more power to move at a lower speed. This setup is good for crawling and bashing. On the contrary, high torque at high speed means you will get greater power at top speed. This setup is good for racing. 

I know what you are thinking, where’s the difference?

The difference is in the number of battery cells and efficiency. You get better thrust per volt in the 570 motors. Volt per motor turn rate is higher which makes the motor more efficient. So you can dish out the torque relatively faster than 550 motors. 

ESC Module

If the motor is the heart of the vehicle, ESC is the brain. You can’t expect good performance just by getting a better motor. You may hit a bottleneck if you don’t get the right ESC. So, here are a couple of tips to keep in mind: 

Size 

This should be the very first and last thing you should check. You could have the perfect ESC and Motor combo, but they may not fit together. 

Use a digital slide caliper to measure the amount of space you have for your motor. You need to be as precise as possible with the measurements. Then, measure the space for your ESC. After that, you can decide if you want a 60mm 570 motor or not. 

Brushed or Brushless ESC

If you are getting the brushed motor, then you will need a brushed ESC. And vice versa. It’s that simple. We are listing some popular ESC modules for you to check out. These modules are versatile. So, you can use them for both 550 and 570 RC motors.

Note: ESC modules tend to get really hot. So, we always recommend getting a cooler. Recently, we have been running this cooling fan and it gets the job done.. 

Turn Limit 

Whether it’s brushed or brushless, there is a limit. An average brushless 570 can spin between 8-14 times per watt. Your ESC essentially delivers the power to make the spin happen. So, use a multimeter to check if your ESC can carry enough voltage to make that spin happen.

As I’ve mentioned before, a higher turn rate doesn’t mean your RC will move faster. 

We had a few motors laying around to test the theory. We compared the 15 turn 550 motor with 570 27-T (turn rate). Needless to say, we used the hobbywing quickrun ESC for both runs. We ran it on our HAIBOXING off-road truck and guess what? 

The 550 motor performed better.  

Here’s what we found after running the test:

Grounds	550 15-T	570 27-T
Speed	20.4 mph	16.7 mph
Turn rate	15 turns per watt	27 Turns per watt
Distance Covered	20 m	20 m
Duration	11.3	12.4

The temperature was under control. The servos were a bit wacky but the main point is : 

A higher turn rate can generate more power for crawling. On the other hand, a lower turn rate can give you the speed that you want. So, in the end, it all comes down to what you want. 

KV and Number of Turns

Generally, 5000 KV is equal to 8.5 turns. Now, this number can be slightly different based on the manufacturer.

For 550 motors the KV is between 5800 – 22500. It can have something between 8 to 20 turns.  For 570 the turn rates can be somewhere between 8 to 30 turns per watt. 

If you are using a 3 cell lipo battery, you may get 8 turns per watt. But the higher the number of battery cells, the more wattage you will have. This can make the motor spin faster.

In short, you will have a lot of power for leverage. Here are some recommendations for you:

Our recommendation 

Firstly, you need to decide whether you want a brushed or brushless motor. A brushless motor is definitely a better choice for long-term usage. In terms of usage, all the motors can be used for bashing, crawling and backyard rampage. 

If you are going for a contest, both 550 and 570 are good enough. We personally recommend getting a higher rpm brushless 570. It will give you more flexibility. If you are new to crawling or bashing, then 550 is the better choice. 

FAQs

What 550 RC motors are good for a car?

550 RC motors can be either brushed or brushless. You can use either brushed or brushless 550 for any car. But brushed motors are generally good for bashing and crawling, off-road drive. Brushless motors are good for slashing and racing. 

What does 550 mean on a brushed motor?

550 on a brushed motor means the size of the motor. 550 motors are generally between 53 to 55 mm in length. The number 550 simply indicates the size and model of that brushed motor. 

Can I replace my 550 motor with 570?

Yes, you can replace your 550 motor with a 570 motor. As long as you have space inside, you can easily install a 570. But for better performance, you should also replace the ESC. Or else, you may end up with a bottleneck.

Conclusion

The ride has finally come to an end. We hope we were able to answer all the questions regarding 550 vs 570 RC Motor.  Here is one last tip for you.

If you are using a brushed 550 or 570, make sure to clean it regularly. If you are using a brushless motor, then you don’t have to worry. 

Before wrapping up, do you have any more questions? Feel free to comment below. Till then, bash hard!