Outside snap ring joints seat their retaining rings on the outer face of the yoke ear, so the rings are visible and serviceable from outside the yoke. This is the most common retention style in our catalog.
Snap ring position is not interchangeable. An outside snap ring cross will not retain correctly in a yoke machined for inside rings, even when the cap diameter and width match.
On an outside snap ring joint the groove is cut into the outer face of the yoke ear and the ring sits proud of it, holding the bearing cap in from the outside. You can see and reach every ring without disassembling the shaft, which makes field service quick.
Identify the style before ordering by looking at where the rings sit relative to the cross. If the rings are outboard of the ears and face away from the cross, the joint is outside snap ring. Cap diameter and overall width still have to match your yoke.