Seized rear drum brake or parking brake issue?

I noticed some gear oil seepage on the left backing plate. (I replaced the axel bearings around 2 yrs ago). I also have on & off over the past couple of weeks smelled burning rubber coming from the right rear.

I had replaced the brakes around the time I did the axle bearings. New lines all the way around (that was fun ).

Anyway, I have been using the parking brake like a good girl. Something I had not been very good at doing before.

So yesterday I pulled back on the bell housing spring brackets & had about 1/8in of space on the right & 1/4in on the left (the side with the seepage). My understanding is if one uses the parking brake regularly, this should not happen. Or maybe a minor adjustment after brake replacement, but not to where the bolt bottoms out. I did get a couple star wheel turns on the left side, but they sounded pretty feeble. Like the wheel wasn’t quite catching.

I wish I had a better understanding of the roll the parking brake has as far as the brake shoes. Or maybe I do get it, I’m just seeing conflicting info on here. My understanding is the purposes for using the pb besides ensuring one does not roll, are shoe adjustment & transmission health, correct? If one chooses though, as far as the shoes go, advancing them via the access hole works as well.

So the purpose of the bellhousing bolt is somehow involved in setting the pb. I remember going back & forth between the bolts & the cable adjuster. There probably was an easier way, but I got it eventually.

So, besides my curiosities, my main question, is where to start? I mean I might as well figure out the brake issue prior to doing anything with the bearing. I’m told seepage, as opposed to leakage (dripping) is not a show stopper. My fluid level is fine. So should I be looking at the pb 1st? Cable, etc, or try adjusting the shoes? Or?