K1500 parking brake cable

[WA1DH]

I'm replacing broken parking brake cables on my 95 GMC K1500. I got the cables installed fine but now I can't get the metal lever piece that connects to the shoe back on the cable ends. I somehow need to compress the spring at the cable end and hold it back while I slide the lever hook between the spring and solid cable end. I'm starting with the driver side and there is no adjustment to give me any more slack. Any ideas or tool to compress and hold off the little spring? I can almost get it by hand but I'm not strong enough and don't have a third hand. Thanks.

 

[CT8]

They aren't that hard to do just,,, unpleasant.

 

[Trav]

These are what you need, nice but pricey. The alternative you may or may not need to cobble a little bit with a cut washer from HF for $8

https://www.harborfreight.com/panel-clip-pliers-63699.html

Edit: the ones pictured are the expensive ones, this garbage picture uploader doesn't allow separating pictures with info in between.

 

[LDM]

Had to do this on my 95 Tahoe a few years ago due to the cable rusting. Its definitely not fun if you do it by yourself. A third hand is really what you need, I had someone hold the spring back with some pliers while I pulled it into place. I tried doing it by myself but gave up after a few tries. I just couldn't get enough strength with one hand while trying to hold the spring back with pliers. Didn't use any special tools but I'm sure that would help too.

 

[eljefino]

I "walk it (the spring) back" with several pairs of vise grips. Put pair #1 on the ferrule with one hand which I pull towards me, put pair #2 on the spring and push forward, then slip pair #3 on the bare cable I now see and lock it down.

Sometimes instead of pair #3 I just jam the lever's "U" on there real quick.

It's unpleasant all around, but possible. A helper would help.

 

[WA1DH]

I finally got it with a pair of 90 degree angled needle nose pliers. Locked the end with vice grips as suggested and slid the spring up while I jammed the lever in.

Now another problem.. it seems BOTH wheel cylinders have blown out since I changed the shoes. First the passenger went. I just replaced it and took it for a test drive. Now the driver side just blew. The new shoes were much thicker than the old ones and I had to press them in and close in the self adjuster to get the drums back on. Is this normal for wheel cylinders to fail after changing shoes?