Need help w/ rear brake caliper from Lincoln Versailles

[indianamoon]

If anyone has any experience with Lincoln Versailles or Ford Granada rear brake calipers, some information would be most appreciated.

When I got my car, the parking brakes were totally non-functional. Did a bunch of repairs/rebuilds/modifications to make them work just fine. Over the course of time they were less and less effective, which I attributed to possibly some cable stretch. No problem as I needed to put the car up on stands and replace the nearly destroyed oil pan anyway. Just adjust the cable, right? No problem with the right side, but I could not get the left adjusted. Removed the cable, and the actuating arm is now 90 degrees rotated from where it was. No problem right? Just take the caliper apart and see what's wrong inside.

Here's the rub..... I have no idea if the retaining nut is left or right hand thread. Bought the factory Ford service manual and it says nothing about it. Design would dictate that the left caliper SHOULD be left hand thread so the nut is tightened when the brake is applied, but nowhere can I find any info on it. These nuts are torqued to 75-90 so it's pretty tight and I don't want to just reef on it without knowing the right rotation. And no, I can't see the end of the thread.

Help anyone?