The front should not be that hard to get back together and I never had to use a hammer.
1st, Make sure your lower A-arms bolts are loose at the frame.
2nd, Make sure your sway bar is disconeted.
3rd, Make sure you leave your top bolts loose where the spacers bolts onto the strut tower untill you get the four bolts on top of the strut fork tight.
4th, leave the bottom nut on the strut fork loose and install the top inside nut and bolt first on the top of the fork and with a prybar, pry on the strut to push the rest of the bolts in.
5th, tighten everything up.

Hope this helps, Dennis