Parking Brake Assembly help

[wleehendrick]

First off, I have no prior experience with drum brakes. My parking brake cable were cut, so I found replacements. I disassembled the passenger side mechanism without trouble, but after greasing it, I got stuck on the first assembly step: I struggled unsuccessfully the get the spring compressed and cup seated on the pin for the primary shoe. The issue is the whole contraption is held together by tension from the various springs, and it seems you need at least 4 tiny hands to hold everything in place, compress the spring, slide the cup on and rotate it. Is it really this difficult? Am I missing some trick or tool?

Thanks,

Lee

[idf]

40 years of racing British cars with drum brakes probably qualifies me as an expert. First install the shoes and the springs that hold them together. Usually the easiest way to do this is to hook the springs in their holes then pull the shoes into place one end at a time. To install the cups and springs I put the spring and pin in place, grip the cup with a pair of automotive pliers, put a finger on the back of the pin, compress the spring by pushing in on the cup and when the cup is beyond the wide portion of the pin, twist the cup to engage.

[wleehendrick]

Thanks for the advice... I'll give it a shot in that order. I just could not do it in the order the FSM called out.