outside right now trying to sort out ebrake

OK guys, this is really pissing me off. I did my 8.25 swap with disc brakes and chucked my 35. I put all brand new hardware on the brakes, new ebrake kit, rotors, pads, ebrake lines... I finally decided to adjust them and I've been out here an hour and a half trying to get this down.

I took the wheels off and adjusted the spreaders by hand till the rotor could just slide on, put it back together, checked it, nothing. Started adjusting the union for the cables till they are VERY tight, get in, nothing, adjust it a little more and give the spreaders a couple extra turns, holds in neutral but nothing else. Keep adjusting both and now it holds in neutral with the brakes off, adjust again. Make very slight adjustments, now it flies forward and back like there is nothing unless its in neutral.... I'm getting very pissed jumping in and out up and down lol...

Is there an easier way to do this? I know to pass safety it has to hold in gear but I don't want to have it super tight and smoke out my brand new stuff... for reference the e brake handle is only going up 1/3 of the way. Thanks in advance. I'm just in pissed and not thinking straight right now to figure this thing out. I feel everything is way too tight as it sits

what i think is going on is this:

picture looking down at the top of axle/ ebrake arm. when i started my adjustments the arm was all the way back toward the back of the jeep. looking down the back of the lever, it was flush with the back side of the axle tube. as i started making adjustments the lever is now in the middle of the axle tube, like the brakes are already spread as far as they can go before i pull the lever, so when i pull the lever it moves about 1/4" forward.

i got the backing plates and calipers from a 98 or 99 zj, i know i got the correct e brake kit as everything fits nice and tight to the rotor. Im using brand new stock xj cables with ends clipped and looped.

edit: im just stumped right now, ive set up ebrakes before and this one is just getting to me... and now im editing and talking to myself on a forum

Well you want to have the e brake handle to come up almost all the way to get all the mechanical advantage as possible. I would be double checking the internals of the brake in the hat to make sure the every thing is a-ok.

Edit: I just went and looked at mine,The arms are almost completley released with the e brake released. Sounds like something isn't correct in the ebrake shoes/ hardware or adjusted corretley.

yeah i had them apart and checked them out, the thing is, nothing can really be upside down in them, its just the lever, two springs and shoes and the adjuster.

if i recall the shoes can only be put on one way or they dont line up with the top or the pressed line around the backing plate, the springs without looking i thought were both identical, and the arms have LH and RH stamped right on them, plus they have the notch in the back (no brainer)

and any way ive ever set up brakes (and never ever had a problem) is adjust the spreader until you start to feel resistance on the rotor/drum when you pull it on or off, then make final adjustments with the cable adjuster.... but in my case i literally wrenched the adjuster bolt about 1 1/4" up the threads, you could tight rope on my brake cables if you wanted to right now

i just looked at the "8.25 official swap thread" and my brakes look to the T like the ones in the write up. im stumped

i gave up after the wind started blowing tumbleweeds at me @ 30mph, ill get back to it tomorrow and take the wheels back off for pictures i guess. im positive i put all 7 pieces of it together right though.... any more thoughts on a solution or tips for adjusting are appreciated