Just done my handbrake today (I will call yesterdays balls-up a practice go)
For the record both my adjusters were the same way around with the capstan on the left & the exposed thread on the right. Mine was built early 2001.
I was on 7 clicks before & still had to avoid steep slopes, now I'm solid on 3 clicks & I would have to force it to make click 4.
One tip I'd make is once you have found the correct location of the capstan in the hole make a score mark on the edge of the disc along the edge of the brake pad. This helps with alignment of the hole after checking for the feel of the shoes on the drum. Another thing I noticed was how little adjustment was needed for the disc/drum to move or be almost fully tight. It felt like only one notch worth of a turn on the capstan.
One job done well and properly
