Agree with this 110 percent.. You can not get a feel for what you are doing (spreading the case) with a hammer and screwdriver. Even if it's homemade, it will be sweet. :p
I think you could get by without locktite, but why?? Along those lines, you can hold the gear pretty easily, since the bolts don't get torqued super tight anyway.... just be careful of what you are doing.
