Rear Brake Shoe Replacement....Need Help!
 

I'm currently replacing the rear brake shoes on my 07 HHR, it seems that I have never run into this style of brake assembly before and I need to know how or what trick I need to use to reinstall the emergency brake cable to the brake shoe. Can any one help?

Did you take apart both sides at once?

That is the biggest trick... always leave one side together. Use it as reference.

It's not that I don't know how to put it all back together and yes I did one side at a time. I just can't compress the emergency brake cable spring far enough while trying to install it back onto the brake shoe bracket. It's like I need another set of hands, there is a certain technique you need to do, or there is a special tool that I just don't have in my arsenal. And this is the trouble I'm having as this isn't the first ever brake job I have done in my life just the only one that I haven't been able to complete.

Have you tried pulling back the spring far enough, & gently use vise-grips to hold that position, & assemble..

I always put the emergency brake cable on the bare shoe first, then assemble the rest of the stuff...
Mo

E Brake Cable
 

Same problem. Not enough slack in the spring to hook on to the shoe. Watched the video on utube, which is excellent, that tells you to use wire cutters to push back the spring and hold it but after a few unsuccessful attempts, was afraid the cable would fray and break. Any other suggestions out there? Anything would be appreciated, have mine apart now.

E Brake Cable
 

By the way, email me if you can. Thanks.

x2 on what sleeper said

grap the end of the cable with a pair of pliers then slide the spring back and lock with visegrips or hold the end of the cable near the shoe then pull back the spring with pliers and push on the shoes.
put on the shoe first as T 20 said

I have seen a set of specialized pliers for this but not found them anyware, I think they were made by Carlisle or K-D tools

I know it's bad to assume but I'm assuming that you're talking about needle nose vice grips??