Hoover Dimension 1000 questions

[Metaphor]

I recently bought a nice looking Hoover Dimension 1000 canister. It is one of the vacs I have long wanted. It isn't my first Hoover but it is my first Hoover canister and I know almost nothing about them. I have three questions.

Number one, is the attachment compartment lid hinged to the body? On mine, a black 4.3 horse version the whole lid lifts off the vacuum. Coming from Panasonics and some Kenmores, this is unexpected. I expected the lid to stay attached to the vacuum. Instead it appears you lift it off and set it somewhere while you work. Nothing appears to be broken but I might not know where to look if something was.

Number two, on this vac the bag chamber lid also lifts off the vacuum. Are they supposed to be hinged or is it supposed to be detached? Again, it doesn't mean it's wrong, it's just not what I expected and I want to be sure this is how these vacuums are supposed to be.

Third, I want to disassemble it for cleaning. Looking at a diagram of it on the Hesco website, it looks daunting. I have not found a thread here describing it's disassembly. Has anyone taken one apart and is willing to give me some of your hard earned wisdom? Thanks.

Obtw, one last question; is there a HEPA bag for this vacuum?

 

[super-sweeper]

The bag door is not hinged, that's all I can say! I have and love my Dimension 1000 Electronic, but it doesn't have a tool compartment lid! You shouldn't need a HEPA bag if you vacuum with genuine and original (green) HOOVER bags! 

 

[Metaphor]

Thanks. I hope you are right about the bags. I use HEPA in everything after it has been cleaned up to keep it clean. Sometimes that means using a non-standard bag. I run a Kenmore HEPA bag in some of my Panasonics because Panasonic doesn't sell a HEPA bag for their old Jet Flo vacuums. Which bag does it use? Oh, are filters available for it?

Ever take one apart and clean the insides? Things like removing the rear wheels to access the two screws in the wheel arch mystify me and I don't want to break anything disassembling it. It already looks beautiful but I don't like using a vacuum that is already filled with some other homes dirt and cooties.

 

[super-sweeper]

My unit was found in excellent condition,I never had a reason to take it apart. The Dimension series takes the Type M bag, I'm sure you could find some of the older green ones on eBay. Not sure about filters, but they can be easily made from filter material. 

 

[Metaphor]

The vacuum shop had original M bags and a belt for the Power Drive floor brush. I will have to come up with something for a filter I guess. So far I have disassembled and cleaned every vac I've bought unless it was brand new and never used. Something about blowing someone else's crud around my house gives me the heebee-jeebees.