tub spout does not seem secure

[TommyTunes]

House was built in 2001, so before sharkbites, I believe, ut the tub spout can be moved to the left or right as if it were attached with a shark bite. But its not a sharkbite.

The tub spout is attached to the normal 1/2" copper stub, but if you grab the spout it can be moved from side to side. The copper line coming down from the mixing valve is regular 1/2" copper but it goes into some type of "swivel fitting", that allows the stub inside the tub spout to move to the left, or move to the right. Quite a bit of lateral movement, maybe a total of 2" (1" to the left and 1" to the right). This appears to be by design, because of the fitting behind the spout. It never leaks.

I'm trying to determine if this is a generally accepted method from 2001, or was this an error that the original city inspector missed? And my REAL question is, if anyone knows what this type of swivel fitting is called?

Thanks for any help.

Tommy

 

[havasu]

Is there a set screw missing from the underside? If you are able to move the spout from side to side, you are obviously not butted up against the wall. It is possible the stub out is too long, keeping the spout from being set against the wall.

Without Pics, all the above are just guesses.

Can you run a bead of caulk around the edge of the spout to secure it from wiggling?

 

[TommyTunes]

Here is an image. The vertical copper piece below the fitting that is covered in white sealant is the "other end" of the 1/2 copper stub out for the tub spout. It is strapped so it can't move up and down, but it will go left and right, and the rotation is happening right at that fitting. Note the copper pipe has no 90 in it--it is pre-bent for a 90 degree turn into the tub. Does this help to identify it?

 

[TomFOhio]

That's some kind of compression fitting. You need to take that all out and put a male adaptor in the bottom
of the faucet body and a elbow for the spout and stub it out. If its a Moen you can take a allen wrench at the bottom back
of the tub spout and take it off and then use it on the new copper. Also stub the copper out about 2 1/2" for the spout. If
its not a Moen then disregard the info about the spout.