Originally Posted by MN_Mike

I know this is a really old thread, but I want to reply anyway for posterity. The cables can be tricky to take off/install, but as long as you take the entire thing off (take the drums off and disconnect the rear cables - one on each side - and disconnect the front cable from the lever), you should be able to get them apart much more easily.

Parking brake cables are definitely not interchangeable between all rangers. Automatic vs. manual doesn't matter, but wheelbase and the size of your rear drums are important, as well as the build date of your truck (occasionally).

What happens a lot of times is this: the rear cables have a plastic coating on them that frays/cracks over time right where they enter the housing. Water gets in and rusts and expands the cables, which then become hard to move in and out of the housing. This can either render your brakes useless (won't engage the brake), but more likely will cause the brakes to drag and wear out your shoes.

Moral: replace the rear cables, as it is often the problem, particularly if they look old and you're rebuilding the drum brakes. That's all!