Brake binding Merc 1984 280e

In news: snipped-for-privacy@g14g2000cwa.googlegroups.com, snipped-for-privacy@rbi.co.uk decided to enlighten our sheltered souls with a rant as follows

Handbrake or disc binding?

our

Are they discs or drums? The former, I expect. There may be a calliper piston binding. Need to explore where the tightness is. Can you push the pistons back by hand using a screwdriver or something? There may be a handbrake problem but I don't know if the handbrake works on the rear discs or not.

Rob Graham

Not the handbrake is it? If not, and if it isn't used all that much, I'd bet a sticky caliper. Happened on a number of w123s I've had.

Hi Sean, no, it's not used that much and does feel like a sticky caliper. What's involved in the fix?

Antony

If there's any muck or a bit of corrosion on the pistons it can make the caliper sticky. Take off the caliper, remove the pistons, clean them off and refit with new seals if necessary (some say always use new seals but if the old ones are OK I reuse them). Refit and bleed the brakes if necessary.