To be honest,now you are so far in,you should really replace the ball joints then they will last for years.I have just bought another 2.5 with 12months MOT on it and it was a death trap the tester who passed it wants stringing up by his dangly bits. front pads 1mm caliper leaking flexis corroded 1 set of ball joints older than me (72) and I havent looked at the rear yet