Hi you have just to use a bit of force ,i have just taken mine apart ,put two fingers in the hole at the front of the rubber casing and pull it will come out theres nothing else holding it.when you take it out remember which way the wires go back on they are on clips for quick release ,red to brown and black to blue .don,t do what i just done i took it apart cleaned it out after struugling like yourself put it all back together and it did,nt work why because the quick release clips one came apart the live so another half an hour later i had it apart i put the wires on put it back in its casing and tried it before i built it up again and its like a new machine after 7 years of use so i wish you the best .sorry for the long winded explanation but if i had this to help me it would have saved me alot of time.
rudy
October 2007