I have a schwinn criss cross bike and its stock dia compe xcm brakes. These brakes have always looked like any other cantilever brakes, but I am completely stuck in trying to figure out how to get one of the calipers on. The caliper that is the problem is the one that does not bolt onto the transverse cable.

As you can see in the picture, the bosses are normal, and the springs go on in the normal directions.


However, the spring holes on each caliper are on different sides.


This results in the inability to mount this caliper in the correct V shape. The only way I can get the caliper to secure to the frame is like this.


This obviously is incorrect, and I cannot figure out any possible way to get this caliper in the correct position. I also have no idea how at one point the brakes worked at all. Does anyone have any input on this?

You're missing a part. It's a silver washer-like thing with some wrench flats that the spring engages with. It allows you to adjust the spring tension so the arms pull away from the rim equally. You don't use the hole in the canti arm.