""The big shoe goes on the front and the little on the back.""
NO, Larger lining shoe goes on the rear, smaller lining shoe goes to front, it energises the larger shoe creating more pressure. I have struck Siezed wheel cylinders, twisted shoes especially when they have been out of adjustment too far and the drum always becomes oval and tapered, that is why drums should be skimmed with every shoe change. I always check ebrake cables for free movement when replacing shoes, I don't lube them though because that atracts the brake dust, that is why most new cables don't have grease points any more. I owned a brake shop for many years.