"I can get the agitor housing off"
Sounds like maybe you took off the top cover, not the bottom?
Beginning at page 20 of the manual I downloaded:
http://www.hoover.com/Media/ModelPDF/U5071.pdf
How to replace
Disconnect cleaner from electrical outlet.
1. Place handle in operating position and turn cleaner over.
2. To remove bottom plate, insert end of flat screwdriver into wide area of right-hand slot and push handle of screwdriver to the rear. Repeat in left-hand slot.
3. Lift extension of bottom plate, rotate plate and remove from
cleaner body.
4. Remove agitator and broken agitator belt. (If belt is not broken but is stretched or cut, proceed with steps 7-10 and pull belt off motor pulley. Then continue with step 5.)
5. Slip agitator through new belt (with lettering toward outside of cleaner) and position belt in belt guide. Push end of belt into
opening in cleaner body. Reposition agitator making sure to
align flat sides of projection on belt end of agitator with flat sides of slot in cleaner body.
6. Place the three tabs on bottom plate into slots in front of cleaner body. Snap bottom plate into place over agitator.
MasterBlaster, April 2006
