Looking for a definitive answer. Two friends say yes, I say no.

(and by styles I mean if a driveshaft was machined to take the OUTSIDE clips, can it use a u-joint that uses an INSIDE clip? )

I'm down to putting the driveshaft in my '88 Ram. The driveshaft I was given by the P.O. is machined for outside clips, yet the yoke he gimme is for inside clips.

Do I have the wrong driveshaft? The wrong yoke??

I'm fairly certain I can't "convert" it to use the inside clip U-joints.

Currently, I have a driveshaft that takes outside clips and a yoke that takes inside clips. Local parts store and even Rock Auto list only inside clip U-joints.

Mopar normally used Detroit type inside retainer type U joints, I have seen some cars and maybe trucks that had Mechanix style with the external retainers.
I'm pretty sure most Mopar cars that came with Dana 60 rear ends had Mechanix style U joints on the rear end pinion joints, not Detroits
I think that there may be a combination adapter U joint also, maybe not

Can you have a u joint with 2 caps inside clip and 2 caps outside clip? Absolutely. Iirc some 4wd front shafts have that arrangement at the pinion end.

If you're shaft is the correct length, measure the cap diameter and distance between clips. Sit down with a u joint catalog and see what number joint matches your measurements.

Absolutely! Here's one example:

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/...jIjZmIkPbkaWw949HUgNNVF6-OgaAkr6EALw_wcB

You can also get u-joints with different cross sizes so you can attach (for instance) a 13300-series shaft to a 1400-series yoke.

Let's try it this way...why wouldn't you be able to mix these two retaining styles?

I have run an adapter style u-joint for large driveshaft to small yoke conversion in a drag car that operated with a significant amount of suspension rise that was shifted at 6500 rpm. Never had any issues with it.

I have run the conversion ones and had zero problems so do not see where 2 kind would be different.
As long as the shaft it self is balanced that is.

I get mine from Napa they used to have a book of u-joint sizes.

I have even run small joint driveshafts with big joint rear ends and vice versa with their conversion joints.