A slightly different ZJ disc conversion E brake question...

I've been reading and searching for quite a while now, but

On my 96 (equal length cables center mounted equalizer fwiw) it looks like I have enough cable from the drum brake's parking cable to make a loop and cable clamp it to the ZJ parking brake's arm.

It seems either the return spring is too long or stiff and I can't connect the barbed fitting to the parking brake's mount without popping the loop of cable off the arm. it's just too long it seems.

I have seen a set of ZJ cables and their spring is shorter and softer but I've read of others doing the stock cable "loop and clamp" deal a few times now.

How did others that have used cable clamps get their stock brake lines to fit ?

cut part of the spring off of the cable.

I did this and it works great. If I had the tools I would have cut about an inch of the old drum spring out.