Car: 2002 A6 3.0 Quattro automatic

When my g/f and I were R&R'ing the fuel tank in her car, we had a problem with the adjuster on the left parking brake cable.

I had disconnected the cable end and housing end from the caliper, so there was no tension on either the housing or the cable.

When I removed the left adjuster from its mount in the left control arm, the adjuster extended to what I guess is its maximum position.

I can not get it to go back together. All the write-ups I've seen about adjusting the parking brake cables say just to pull or push on the adjuster.

I push on it, I wiggle it back and forth, I move it round and round... it just doesn't go back together.

Is there a trick to getting the adjuster to go back together?
Do I need to buy a new parking brake cable just because the adjuster came apart? The clear plastic sheath on the cable is a little chewed up, but the cable isn't rusty or frayed, so it's still perfectly serviceable.

Thanks!

 

Bump.