Hello and help!

Technically, my DC18 slim has "good suction", but only until it fills up the hoses and ball valve, because there's no path for the debris to enter the cannister.

After disassembling, cleaning, and reassembling several times, I was just able to make out with my finger that the blockage is in the "hard tube" that's part of the upright body.

It's too twisty to get anything in there, and I see there's a rubber seal on the bottom of both sides meaning they should separate.

How to separate them in terms of what to take apart isn't immediately clear, though. The internet and even Dyson "customer support were no help"

Can anyone help on clearing this tube with the least amount of disassembly?

Thanks for looking!