Just recently I noticed that the handbrake on the 1984 190e 2.3 is completely ineffective, I pull the handle up and nothing happens whatsoever. I looked under the car and had a helper move the handbrake handle up and down and found that the cable moves freely up until where it splits to go to each wheel. The individual wheel cables however do not move and are stuck in the ENGAGED position. The main braking system however is functional both front and rear so stopping is not a problem. I have a haynes manual and tried using the procedures its got to remove the rear brake discs. I removed the caliper from the left side hub and gave the rotot a pull and nothing happened. The haynes manual said that there is a rotor retaining bolt located on the face of the rotot where the lug bolts would thread into but there is no such retaining bolt on the rotot I looked at, The hole for the retaining bolt is present in the rotor but is empty and wouldnt matter anyways because there are not threads where the retaining bolt could thread into, just solid steel. From what Ive gathered from the Haynes manual the hand brake shoes use the inside of the brake discs as a brake drum, I fear that the shoes having become stuck in the engaged position however they did have worn a groove into the inside of the brake rotor making a lip in the edge of the rotor making it impossible to remove the rotor. I tried pushing the individual wheel cables back into the hubs so they would be in the released position but the cabled didnt budge. My neighbor suggested squirting WD-40 down the cable housing that leads to the hub to see if that would free up the cable but I know that WD-40 has a relatively low flash point abd the brakes do generate a considerable amount of heat and could ignite the WD-40, and the last thing I want to see in my rearview mirror is the rear end of my car on fire. Any help with getting the rotor off of the hub is greatly appreciated

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1984
190e 2.3L
107000 miles

I expect that your rear ebrake cables are rusted frozen. I have seen this happen several times over the years and I've never had success in freeing them up. If you could take them off and soak them you might get them freed up, otherwise it's new cable time.

To get the rotor off, rotate the rotor until you can see the star wheel behind one of the lug bolt holes. It will probably be slightly forward toward the top of the bolt pattern. Turn this starwheel with a screwdriver to loosen the brake shoes for rotor removal.

Good luck,

Awesome Ill give it a try next time im under the car. ill probably just replace the cables, even if i did get em freed up and usable again they will be more prone to doing it again later

__________________
1984
190e 2.3L
107000 miles