I'm having a bit of trouble with adjusting the parking brake on my '82. If
has not worked properly since I got the van last year.

What happens is this: I go through adjusting the brakes - loosen adjuster
wheel, pull off drums, adjust adjuster wheel, reinstall. At this point the
parking brake cables are both seated against the backing plates. After I put
the wheels back on, they turn freely. I set the brake and the wheels do not
turn. Then I release the brake - the left wheel again turns freely, but the
right one doesn't. If I look at the cable on the right, it's "hanging out"
of the backing plate, that is, the "spring" part which usually lives inside
the drum is now protruding by about 1/2" and flops freely. If I remove the
drum, I can see that the lever the cable pulls is still in the "engaged"
position. If I pry it back to its "disengaged" position, the cable is again
taut and flush against the backing plate. All the springs seem to be in
place, and I've readjusted and reassembled everything several times with the
same result.

I'm not much of an expert on drum brakes - I've somehow managed to avoid
working on them all my life - so I am sure I am missing something simple. Do
the brake cables need to be securely attached to the backing plate? The look
like they should, but I can't seem to see how to get them to stay put - that
is, when I engage the brake, the spring portion of the cable pulls out
through the backing plate a bit. Now that I am typing this, that seems like
it might be the problem. Or... the springs ought to cause the parking brake
lever in the drum to return to the disengaged position, right? Is my lever
stuck or are my springs perhaps worn-out? If anyone have been through this
or can refer me to a good source of info, it would be much appreciated. I am
almost tempted to just take the van to a mechanic. (Nooo - not a mechanic!
Are you mad?)

Thanks,
Doug
Freeport, ME