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I´m now in military equipment for +30 years and when ever sleeping on a cot, it´s pretty hard to stretch the cover to get the square tubes in place.

I have one cot, the cover is so tight, it bends the whole cot, once you made it to get the tubes in place:
Beside is another, older cot with a little "worn" cover: It´s OK to set up and it doesn´t bend the whole cot.

Have you guys any idea how to "stretch" the cover permanently? How did you do it back in your days in the military? I always need a crowbar to set up the cot to stretch the cover

Oooh the old military cot! This was the problem every time when we used them in the Army. As a result we learned to just sleep on the ground anyways.

As far as I know, there is no way to stretch the fabric out.

What I would do is first put the loose bar through the cot fabric on the end, next, wedge the loose bar onto just one of the two ends of the cot, then pull outward toward your body to stretch the cover far enough to set the other side of the loose bar onto the other end of the cot. Then to disassemble just pull outward toward your body on the bar.

You can do that, or honestly some guys don't even attach one of the loose bars at all. I also have never seen a cot damaged from stretching it out and attaching both loose bars, so either way, you are safe I think.

cavguy wrote:
What I would do is first put the loose bar through the cot fabric on the end, next, wedge the loose bar onto just one of the two ends of the cot, then pull outward toward your body to stretch the cover far enough to set the other side of the loose bar onto the other end of the cot. Then to disassemble just pull outward toward your body on the bar.

Yes, that´s how we do it too but that frame seems to be too long

At least, I´ll change to positin of the holes and remove some "material" to shorten the frame.

Housil, every cot I have seen looks just like yours though and has the same problem, so your not alone. But, it actually should make it easier to remove a small bit of material from the metal sides.

cavguy wrote: to remove a small bit of material from the metal sides.

Too bad you can´t just remove a little of each end due to the hinges

It's nice to know that this is a universal problem among mil-issue cots. I've got one, and have always had the same problem. I wasn't sure if it was just mine, or if they all had this same issue. I actually broke one of the plastic "lugs" on one end trying to get the bar into place once.

Every bloody one i ever set up was like that. Nearly lost a finger tip a few times.

Any time we had those cots (not often) I would just put the bar through and leave it on top of the frame on the short end. Use that end under your head for a little elevation. Not perfect but it worked for me.

Another thought is to cut the rivets and shorten the sides. Then just drill new holes and use Chicago bolts with some lock-tite to put it back together.

shawker71 wrote:Another thought is to cut the rivets and shorten the sides. Then just drill new holes and use Chicago bolts with some lock-tite to put it back together.

I will drill new holes in the middle hinge so I don´t have to replace the rivets and cut the frame there a little.