If you've been thinking about putting a 24 inch bar for echo cs 590 on your saw, you're probably wondering if the Timber Wolf can actually handle it without screaming for mercy. It's a common question among guys who find themselves staring down a log that's just a little too thick for the stock 20-inch setup. I've spent a lot of time running the CS 590, and honestly, it's one of those saws that punches way above its weight class. But moving up to a 24-inch bar is a big jump, and there are a few things you really need to know before you start bolting on new hardware.
Does the Echo CS 590 Have Enough Grunt?
The CS 590 is a 59.8cc saw. In the world of chainsaws, that's right on the edge of what people consider "big." Usually, the rule of thumb is that for every 10cc of engine displacement, you can comfortably run 3 to 4 inches of bar. By that math, a 60cc saw should be perfectly happy with a 20 or 22-inch bar. Pushing it to 24 inches is definitely asking the saw to do some heavy lifting.
When you run a 24 inch bar for echo cs 590, you aren't just adding length; you're adding friction. There are more cutters in the wood at any given time, and that puts more load on the engine. However, the Echo 590 is a high-torque machine. It doesn't scream like some of the European saws, but it grunts. It has that low-end lugging power that allows it to keep pulling even when you're buried deep in a piece of oak. So, yes, it can handle it, but you have to be realistic about how you use it. If you're a "lean on the saw" kind of person, you might bog it down. If you let the saw do the work, it'll pull it.
Why Even Switch to a 24-Inch Bar?
You might be asking why someone wouldn't just stick with the 20-inch bar that comes in the box. Most of the time, a 20-inch bar is plenty. But there are those days when you're working on a massive downed maple or a thick pine, and you just don't want to be bending over all day.
That extra four inches makes a world of difference for your back. You can stand up a little straighter while bucking logs on the ground. Plus, it gives you that extra reach for felling larger trees where a single pass with a 20-inch bar just wouldn't reach the center. It's about convenience and capability. Is it going to be your "all day, every day" setup? Maybe not. But having a 24 inch bar for echo cs 590 in your kit gives you a lot more versatility when the big wood shows up.
Picking the Right Bar Type
Not all bars are created equal. If you go out and buy the heaviest, cheapest steel bar you can find, you're going to hate the way the saw feels. A 24-inch solid steel bar is heavy, and it's going to make the CS 590 feel very "nose-heavy." This throws off the balance and makes it tiring to use for long periods.
I usually recommend looking for a "Reduced Weight" or "Lightweight" bar. Brands like Oregon (with their VersaCut or PowerMatch lines) or even Tsumura and Sugihara make some incredible bars that use a lighter core to shave off ounces. It might not sound like much, but when you're swinging that saw around for four hours, you'll feel every gram. If you can find a lightweight 24 inch bar for echo cs 590, the saw will actually feel more balanced, almost like it still has the 20-inch bar on it.
The Secret Sauce: Using Skip Tooth Chain
This is probably the most important piece of advice I can give you if you're moving up to a 24-inch bar on this saw. Since the 59.8cc engine is at its limit with this length, you want to reduce the drag as much as possible. A standard "full comp" chain has a cutter on almost every link. That's a lot of teeth grabbing wood at once.
Switching to a "skip tooth" chain (where there's a larger gap between the cutting teeth) is a game changer. It allows the engine to keep its RPMs up because there are fewer cutters in the wood at any given time. It also helps with chip clearance, which is a big deal when you're buried 22 inches deep in a log. The saw stays in its power band, it runs cooler, and you actually end up cutting faster because the engine isn't struggling to stay awake.
Don't Forget the Oiler
The Echo CS 590 has a great adjustable oiler, but it's usually set for a 20-inch bar from the factory. When you move up to a 24 inch bar for echo cs 590, you need more oil. There's a lot more surface area to lubricate, and you don't want to fry your bar or stretch your chain because things got too hot.
Before you make your first cut, flip the saw over and find the oiler adjustment screw. Crank it up almost to the max. You want to see a nice "sling" of oil coming off the tip of the bar when you rev it near a piece of cardboard or a stump. A 24-inch bar needs to stay wet, or you'll find yourself buying a new bar much sooner than you intended.
Balancing the Weight and Ergonomics
One thing people don't talk about enough is how the saw feels in your hands after the swap. The Echo CS 590 is already a bit of a "chunky" saw. It's built like a tank, which is why we love it, but adding a long bar shifts the center of gravity forward.
When you're felling, this isn't a huge deal. But when you're limbing—moving quickly from branch to branch—that extra length and weight can be a literal pain in the neck. I usually tell people that if they plan on doing a lot of limbing, they should keep the 20-inch bar nearby. Use the 24 inch bar for echo cs 590 for the big stuff, the bucking, and the felling, but don't be afraid to swap back for the lighter work. It only takes two minutes to change a bar and chain, and your shoulders will thank you the next morning.
Maintenance and Chain Tension
With a longer bar, chain tension becomes even more critical. A 24-inch chain has more links to stretch. When you're running a new chain on a long bar, it's going to "break in" and get loose pretty quickly. I've seen guys throw a chain because they didn't check the tension after the first couple of cuts.
Keep your screwrench (scrunch) in your pocket. Every time you finish a cut or two, just give the chain a quick pull to see how much sag you've got. You want it snug against the bottom of the bar, but still easy to pull around by hand (with the saw off and the brake disengaged, obviously). Running a loose chain on a long bar is a recipe for a ruined drive link or a chewed-up bar tip.
Is it Worth It?
At the end of the day, is the 24 inch bar for echo cs 590 worth the investment? In my opinion, absolutely. The CS 590 is a beast of a saw for the price, and it has the heart to handle a longer bar if you treat it right. You aren't going to turn it into a 90cc professional felling saw, but you are going to make it a lot more capable for those "big wood" days.
Just remember: get a good quality bar, consider a skip-tooth chain, and don't forget to turn up that oiler. If you do those three things, your Timber Wolf will chew through just about anything you put in front of it. It's a rewarding feeling to see that long bar buried in a massive log and hear the Echo just keep on chugging. It's not about being the fastest in the woods; it's about having the right tool for the job, and for many of us, that 24-inch setup is exactly what the doctor ordered.