Hoover z400 clogged

Question

I have a Hoover z400 and the suction hose seems to be clogged at the base where the vacuum head pivots. There is no suction when I run the unit on the floor, but if I detach the hose and use the hose with attachments there is perfect suction. I have tried to remove debris with a coat hanger (carefully) and have had little luck due to how the plastic is molded where the debris travels. I hope this is descriptive enough. Please help!