The spool might help actually, act more like its on the road maybe.
They should be adjusted till you can just hear or feel the very slightest drag so assuming there's no lip in the drum then they should slide on and off with a wiggle.
The bell cranks that go through the back plate are free?
Yes, bell cranks move freely.
To adjusted the brakes, I used the adjuster wheel to tighten up the brake until the tire was almost locked up. Then I backed it off until the tire spun nice and free and only a slight brake drag was heard. I have since used the adjuster to loosen the brakes on the driver side a few more turns, each time I have taken it for a test drive. One thing I'll add is that I can still hear some drag, even though I continue to loosen the brake. Am I right to assume that because I can remove the drum easily, that there is no way the brake is over adjusted?
