70 Power wagon rear drum brake question

I replaced the wheel cylinder and replaced the adjuster and that steel cable that connects onto the adjuster bracket but I cannot get the steel cable over the little metal piece that attaches the brake shoe and the spring goes. The steel cable seems to be to short that came with the brake kit I bought. I checked the length against the old cable that snapped and it is the same size. How do you get that steel cable over the metal piece where the spring goes into the brake shoe and what does this steel cable do? It does connect to the adjuster bracket on the bottoms of the brake shoes and it attaches up to the top of the post where the tops of the brake shoes come together

Wizard

You should just have to lift the adjuster tab up and connect it to hook on cable.

The cable is for self energizing. (self adjusting)

Yes, that is what I am trying to do and I have everything hooked up and the brake adjuster set to minimum to give me as much slack as possible but I am still about 1/2 short seems like of cable. I have the adjuster tab stretched to max while trying to get it over the cam that attaches to the brake shoe.

Wizard

Is it possible you got a cable for front brakes or just the wrong cable ? Is there different size brake shoes for that model? If you have say 12" brakes but cable is for 11" Just trying to throw out so ideas.

Nah, I got the right kit as it had everything else in the kit for the rear drum. I will take a picture of what I have and post it and see if anyone can see something that way.

Wizard

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I don't know what the heck is wrong except I am just short 3/4 of cable. I have tried everything. Went to You Tube and not much there except few other types and watched them but doesn't have a 70 dodge brake drum change. What the heck? Turning into a 40 hour job now.. This should be simple. I checked the part number I bought against rock auto and its coming up with the right Carlson brake kit for it.

I don't see anything wrong, guessing the cable is too short. Have you checked the length against the cable on the other side?

Robert

no, haven't pulled the other side off yet. Was doing 1 at a time but I am pulling my hair out and that's my last resort I guess. Here is pic of old cable I found when I pulled the drum off. Same length as new one!

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It's been a little while since I did my last set of drums but IIRC you should be able to remove the spring that's on the piece you're trying to connect the cable to. Then you'll have the slack to connect your cable. Then reconnect the spring. I always have to play as round with the pieces for a while when I do drums before I remember because I only had one vehicle with drums. Now I have two. I also seem to remember there being some give somewhere, like I could squeeze the two shoes closer together for the cable to be able to reach. Like I said, I generally play around with all of the pieces before I remember because it's been so long between doing drums.