"loaded" struts are easier to DIY install (they come out as a unit), but if you have a safe method to remove the old springs (unless they're broken or sagging) you should be fine.

 

I used Monroe Quick strut on my '06 500. That was by far the worse thing I ever did to that car. They are easy to install, but the mounting plate was bad on mine out of the box. I had to disassemble both struts to replace the upper bearing to make it through an alignment. If I had known that ahead of time I would have just installed the shocks. The new springs made the car ride like a truck.

 

I would encourage you to look for on line options for pre-assembled strut/spring units. Also, the springs and bearing plate have as many miles & wear as the struts.As another pointed out, it is much easier to install.

 

I have a 2013 SHO - I went through 2 sets of Preloaded struts - one from Monroe and one from Gabriel
Both had issues with the Top Mounting and popped PROFUSELY after about 2 days of use.

In my honest recommendation: - Buy the Motorcraft struts, reuse the coil springs, and buy new mounts and have those pieces mounted together by your nearest shop. Then you can DIY all you want.

I wouldn't trust preloaded strut mounts as far as I can drop them.

 

Pic of car that spent most of it's life in FL. Trust used spring and you risking much. I have had my share of broken.
One in this pic broke in my driveway. 2 miles to the shop, limping slowly. At highway speed and you can guess.
-chart-

 

Thank you everyone for the input, The Pre-loaded struts don't last like the oem brands. Also because of how much labor it take to replace them, i wouldn't waste my time and money on them unless i am planning to sell the car. I think Motorcraft is my best choice and i will replace the coil springs and the top mounts. I appreciate you all!

 

KYB will equal or better OE. Firmer but high quality. Had a shop do struts due to the broken one above and they did it fast and used Monroe. Ride height 1 1/2" too high. Otherwise OK.
I got close out OE readystruts from RA for ~$50 per. 4 sets. One set on '03 Taurus, easy install. No rust car. Other pair in my garage for my '05 if needed, or my next wagon.
-chart-

 

I agree, always replace the springs when replacing the struts. I own the OTC strut tool, with five cars in my fleet it was no brainer, no more trips to the shop to get the free rental tool or wait until another customer returns it. Saves money vs having the shop do it for you.
Edit: I'm in Raleigh NC and we have very little rust on our cars. I got a deal on Moog closeouts at Rock Auto.

 

I would use the old springs I have several vehicles at 250,000+ miles and no new springs but they had 2 or 3 strut/shock changes each spring compression tools are free for 2dayd to a week from many part stores and you can see a you tube video on how to use safely those for spring over strut come with 2 units for either side of spring takes time but is easy to use

 

Without question, go with loaded struts. Quicker repair, and far, far less dangerous to complete.

 

Just a few pics. Miles do not matter. Ford has a problem with the coating. It breaks down and water gets inside the coating.
I have only had one upper bearing fail.
Broken spring, '95, '01, '03, '03.
The earliest I remember model, friend '92 Taurus spring broke and took out the tire. Still under new car warranty.

-chart-

 

Quick struts are the easiest option and I have used on my daughter's 98 Escort for the last year of use. However.. Preloaded comes at a price as mentioned above. I would not use Quick Stuts if you plan to keep the car for a while.

 

If you need to replace the strut, best replace the top bearing, spring, and rubber seat. The spring should last forever if the coating is perfect. (not happening) The top mount/bearing goes bad, both the bearing and the rubber. The bottom rubber seat ages and goes bad. I have/had 10 used bulls. I have done the fronts on all but the most recent buy. I remember 4 broken front springs and 2 rear broken. I had couple of ones with bearing fails. Found my daughter was doing under body car wash. I banned her from doing that in my cars. Bearings are not sealed, they rust as in the pic. Last time I compressed one was '02 Lin Cont with leaking fluid. No ready struts available. I have now tossed the home made support and will soon put my compressors 2 sets, in a box and donate them to Habitat.
Never had an issue with KYB systems. Did have issue with KYB struts for the Lincoln. Came from RA with a missing nut. Very odd thread. RA would take back but I found a nut on Ebay.
-chart-

 

I'd recommend a mid to high range spring and strut assembly. KYB comes to mind. If you buy the strut only you will need a spring compressor to swap out strut. Can be difficult and dangerous. I have done it with rented compressor blocks. You could also have a shop assemble the spring and strut for short money.
The Job is mostly labor. Removing rusty bolts, sway bar linkls, etc. I'd recommend that you buy a complete assy and install. Upper bolts for rear may be hidden behind rear seat and require some seat/panel removal.

 

I guess I have to say on Ford products replacing the spring is safer many older Taurus and wind stars had broken springs usually while turning so my take on this is a bad strut tower bearing allows the spring to windup and unwind stress not in the normal design compression and expansion …. Then pop it breaks usually in a parking lot or drive way since the power steering can easily over power the spring … I had a bad strut tower bearing at less than 95k miles but I kept investigating the popping noise & luckily replaced it before the spring failed on my Saturn the strut bearings were much heavier duty than the taurus and never failed at 300k

 

All my broken sourced by rust.
-chart-

 

Best way to go is quick struts (which ever brand you prefer) cheaper, faster, and less expensive to replace, I personally use Monroe or Shoxtec (same manufacturer). Good Luck

 

I had two springs broken. My impression is that they do not break just anywhere. They break exactly at the point where the end of the spring hits the winding above/below it.

In fact, I once hit the curb really hard (don't ask), was happy only the tire was ruptured and nothing was really bend out of shape. Until 2 years later the spring snapped with an impressive bang (indeed when taking a small circle, quickly turning left and right). The spring was of course damaged and the salt did the rest.

So perhaps it is enough to carefully inspect the coilsprings at those points.

 

If the spring rusts elsewhere, it will break elsewhere. All my others broke the bottom coil first. My '01 broke on a local street and it threw two pieces out of the car and down the road in front of me.
I changed rears for soggy shocks and found the spring broken but still in place, no clue before. Fronts on the other hand can wreck your car.
Pic shows a spring that will break in the middle, and one in the scrap pile was my '03 that broke in the middle.
Had spring shop guy tell me, bare spring will never break but will sag in time due to lost of metal on the outside. Coated spring will last forever if the coating is perfect.
I have had 5 Lin Cont. Never has a rust spot. They have no record of spring brakes. It is all about makers spending/saving money. Guess which gets the good coating?
-chart-

 

My front springs never broke on me, Thank God, I could imagine how to keep control of the car. These were my rear springs, which is supposed to be stronger, I now will only use quick struts, new springs and struts together, my personal favorite is the Monroe or Shoxtec quick struts (same manufacturer as Monroe but a whole lot cheaper) and the Police versions of them, ride is a touch stiffer but the car handles like it is on rails. These broken springs cost me 2 very new Michelin MXV4s, $300 down the tubes.

 

^ Btdt, lol!!!

 

My 07 Taurus rear end was feeling very loose so I replaced the struts with KYB pre loaded struts and its a night and day difference. KYB all the way!

 

Pic KYB fronts, OE (not yet broken) beside KYB. KYB used one full coil turn compared to OE. Spring tec can tell you (text book) more turns for same load/height means less stress on the metal. Of course, the rod size and free length has to be calculated to give on the vehicle ride height. Which was correct for mine. BUT local shop did my '03 wagon in a hurry with a broken spring, they used Monroe as it was available off the shelf. Ride height 1.5" too high. Did not settle.
At the JY lots of times. Ford did not patent the broken spring thing. Shared across the brands.
-chart-

 

Taurus' had a recall for the springs, they put a shield at the bottom of the spring mount (I know it was for the NE, not sure if the the whole northern part of the country) to protect against snow and salt erosion of the spring, didn't they do anything for the Sable or Lincoln?

 

Been There! It worked. WHEN the spring broke.
-chart-

 

Last summer pass side front spring on the 95 Vulcan literally expoded as I was pulling out of the driveway. Broke into at least 6 pieces. and made quite a BANG. They were the original struts that had lived thru 25 Wisconsin winters. Got some Monroe loaded struts from RA for about $100 that will hopefully last the life of the car.

 

Depending on how you drive and road conditions Monroe's quick struts last 7-10 years (strut only) the spring will last a lot longer but when the ride goes do another quick strut, a whole lot cheaper to change than just the strut itself, no compression of the spring or unbolting of the upper mount.

 

Always the case, after it happens! The front ones on my car, I was told, were fine when the shield was put in, the rears were bad

 

I've replaced mine front and back . The bulls do have notorious sag so I replaced the strut/spring as an assembly and pretty pleased with load capacity/suspension height/handling.