47 brake springs too tight!

[RalphM]

I weigh a tad over 200 pounds and with all my body force I still can’t get this spring within 2 inches of the brake shoe.
Now I have put brake springs on big trucks for years and never had this much trouble. sometimes needing to use a 3 foot prybar to stretch them. I don’t see how to do this on a car without damaging parts.
Does someone have a secret for putting these on without destroying the grease shield?