When does the creeking sound occur? Does it happen more frequently when you turn your steering, or maybe when you are hitting bumps and uneven road surfaces? I've never heard ball joints creek before. You most likely never had bad ball joints and probably have another suspension/steering issue. Could be a strut mount loose, or it could also be the steering rack mounts. I'm thinking the steering rack may be a little loose. The metal sleeves will create creeking noises and eventually become a constant "creek ...creek creek" especially when turning the steering wheel. Tightening the rack bolts/nuts just a little may fix this. I can't go into further details unless I know a little more about the noise your describing.