Short definition
A drop-ear elbow is a 90-degree fitting with two predrilled mounting tabs (“ears”) that screw to a stud or backer board. It’s used at termination points where the pipe needs a rigid anchor — washing-machine hose hookups, shower-arm stub-outs, exterior hose bibs. Available in copper, brass, PEX, and CPVC.
What it is
Picture a standard 90-degree elbow with two flat tabs sticking out, each with a screw hole. Those tabs let the fitting be screwed to wood blocking inside the wall cavity, so the stub-out coming out of the wall doesn’t twist or pull when the connected fixture is tightened down.
The inlet side is typically a sweat, crimp, or solvent socket (matched to the supply pipe), and the outlet side is usually female NPT for a fixture connection.
Why it matters to a homeowner
Drop-ear elbows are why your shower arm doesn’t twist out of the wall when you screw on the showerhead, and why your washing-machine hose bibs stay put when you connect or disconnect the hoses. If you ever pull a fixture off and find the stub-out wobbling loose in the wall, the missing or failed drop-ear is the diagnosis.
When you’ll encounter this term
- A shower remodel — installer specifies a drop-ear elbow at the shower arm.
- A washing-machine box install — drop-ear elbows for hot and cold supply, with female threads for the box’s hose-bib valves.
- An exterior hose-bib install — drop-ear secures the line against the rim joist.