2004 Specific question-Parking Brake NYS Fail

[Exploder-Bauer44]

Any input is appreciated. However the most useful would of course be, in this case, from someone who has owned or does own a 2004 4x4 Eddie Bauer edition. My google searches show me many variances year to year, and I got nothing done today because of that.

This year the big NYS code target is apparently parking brakes. I have never, in the solid 8 years I've been buying/working on used vehicles, had to worry about so finely tuning a parking brake.
'Hold the vehicle' they keep saying. Yea, cause 4 thin shoes with the same setup as my bicycle brakes, are going to hold back a 4.6 V8.....
I have gotten the parking brake to hold the truck in D or R without hitting the gas. The parking brake shoes can't possibly be adjusted any tighter without dragging. All new shoes & adjusting hardware (damn springs nd sh*t). I cannot find a cable tensioning device on my 04 that other years seem to have. is replacing the entire cable literally the only way to 'tighten' it? I wouldn't be surprised, but I want to be sure.
Thanks for the help guys. I've failed inspection at 2 places now. I definitely need some insight!

 

[Exploder-Bauer44]

So after all that hassle with the P brake, it passed with *flying parts* at Jiffy Lube. Perhaps since they do not service vehicles there (just fluid changes & tire rotations) they had no incentive to fail me for a parking brake. The flying parts comment being one of my rear glass hinges breaking AGAIN in the parking lot.
Midas hassled me the most..... but of course, I first go there and receive an alignment for $107 which 'went just fine, everything checked out' and then they fail me the next day for the P brake, and THREE tie rod ends.
Anyone catch that? They aligned the truck with THREE bad tie rod ends. Needless to say, I replaced all 3 ends myself (the rear got scary bad overnight apparently) and the truck was re-aligned for free. I even got the 'proof sheet' this time.
NEVER trust the Midas touch.

 

[pet575]

Firestone did the same tie rod BS to me. Don't trust those *******s, either. Ever.