John, you shouldn't need a star socket to pull the brake disk off. I think all you need is a 15mm wrench and socket for the caliper and a 4.5mm allen wrench for the set screw that holds the disk to the hub. Taking the wheel off takes longer than taking the disk off. My car had original e-brake shoes in it. After a year of use, the brake material started crumbling off the shoe. I got new shoes on e-bay for a song. Seems like it should have been changed when they re-built the rear, but they probably looked ok back then. Hell, technically e-brakes should never wear out.
Let us know what you find.
