Vacuum cleaner base assembly

A vacuum cleaner having a handle having a handle pivot axis, a carriage pivotally connected to the handle to rotate about the handle pivot axis, and an inlet nozzle assembly pivotally connected to the handle to rotate about the handle pivot axis independently of the carriage. The carriage has a front support and a rear support spaced from the front support in a fore-aft direction, and the handle pivot axis is located between the front support and the rear support with respect to the fore-aft direction. A suction inlet is on a bottom face of the inlet nozzle, a suction source is operatively associated with the handle, a dirt collection device is operatively associated with the handle, and there is an air passage system fluidly connecting the suction inlet, the suction source and the dirt collection device.