[1999 XLT 3.0 Flex, 9" drums]
When installing the eye of the adjuster cable at the top, and the hook-end which latches to the paw plate at the bottom - I end up with allot of slack in the wire. Enough that the paw plate does not engage with the adjuster teeth at all. The actual contact point on the paw plate is about 1 cm away from the teeth (case for both R and L rear drums).
Since the adjuster was then freely able to move; a short test drive resulted in the shoes slowly putting more pressure on the drum and thus heat, wear, and reduced g. mileage. I knew that I could not leave it as is, so I dismantled both sides a second time and meditated on what to do.
I ended up attaching the eye hole at the top first as manual recommends, then while holding taught - rotated the cable and hook/spring at the bottom simultaneously to induce tension respective of the cables braiding (so it wound up rather then unraveled). While still taught, I carefully laced the tensioned cable over the guide and then hooked the bottom to the paw plate (which I premounted for convienece) and wah-la. The The paw now locks into place preventing random rotation of the adjuster mech. Adjustment can still be done through the slot in the back as the manual recommends.
Rotating the cable was the best solution I could come up with.
Is this something anyone else ran into when replacing drum shoes?
Does it seem like a safe solution to the problem?
Cheers!
j. krienert

Hope the description was clear enough...
long story short would be,
When changing drum brake shoes - has anyone noticed a problem with slack in the paw adjuster cable?

thousand thanks.