The on/ off switch on my Dyson DC05 has packed up. I don't want to replace the switch, I just want to bypass it so I can use it as a spare to clean the car out. If I prise the wheels away from the body slightly, I can see there are screws which can be removed to enable the body to be split in two. But I don't know how to get the wheels off! any ideas?

Alan Munro, September 2006

Don't ever bypass a switch in a vacuum cleaner. If you do, every time you plug and unplug it, the current will arc from the outlet to the plug prong, putting a burn mark in both. These burnt areas on the plug and outlet cause resistance to build up. Resistance causes heat buildup, possibly enough to melt and short out the plug. If you want to continue to use it, repair it properly.

George, April 2013

The wheels just come off by pulling: if you have yellow inserts, prise them out first (with a small screwdriver, gently).

MaSh, March 2007

You don't have to remove the wheels, prising them out enough to get to both screws will suffice. There are a total of 5 screws, two behind each wheel and one central one.

Gordon, September 2006