Gearwrench 82-Piece 120XP Automotive Tool Set Review: One Very Nice Piece of a Very Big Puzzle

Gearwrench has a lot of cool things going on as of late. It’s new MegaMod tool sets, in particular, are getting a lot of attention. These master tool sets bundle every hand tool you could ever need in your garage, including the tool chest itself into a single purchase. A seriously killer feature is that custom foam trays give everything a distinct home within each of the drawers. That level of organization is something we can all appreciate. As is the above-average quality of the tools Gearwrench pushes out.

The complete sets aren’t cheap, though. Maybe in the long run they are. But most of us simply can’t cough up the $14,799.99 something like the Gearwrench MegaMod 1268 commands. Luckily, that’s not your only way to buy into the ultra-organized system. Gearwrench is selling modular tool sets that allow you to put together a custom setup to rival MegaMod. It’s not as quick or convenient of an approach. However, you can tailor the selection of tools to your unique demands. That’s arguably the better route for many gearheads to take anyway. 

When I stopped by to see the Gearwrench booth at the SEMA show in 2024, it was covered top to bottom in these modular tool sets. When you see them all together in one place, you can really get a feel for the professional level they can elevate any shop to. It’s easy for your imagination to run wild with all of the possibilities. The only hard part would be deciding where to even start because you have so much to work with.

That’s where the Gearwrench 82-piece 120XP automotive tool set comes in. Most of it’s companion sets feature just one type of tool, like sockets or combination wrenches. This is different in that it features a variety of tools, all of which will see regular use in the garage. The idea is to give you a solid foundation to start your modular system with. After testing it out in my own shop for a bit, I think it definitely is just that, and I really do appreciate the quality and level of organization the modular system has to offer.

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Gearwrench 82 Piece 120XP Automotive Tool Set

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The Specs On Gearwrench 82 Piece 120XP Automotive Tool Set 

The Gearwrench 82 Piece 120XP automotive tool set includes an array of carefully selected tools to help you tackle some of the most common fasteners you’ll encounter in the shop. The namesake of the system is the extended reach 120XP 3/8-inch drive flexing handle ratchet. It and the 12 sockets you’re given are the main attraction. Upon closer inspection, you’ll see there are only three actual socket sizes, though. They are 8mm, 10mm, and 13mm. Those three sizes are present in deep and short sockets in both 3/8-inch and 1/4-inch drive. A 3/8-inch to 1/4-inch drive adapter lets the ratchet serve a dual-role purpose, with a selection of extensions and a swivel joint to boot.

A couple of extended flexing handle ratcheting combination wrenches pair nicely with the ratchet. One wrench features 8mm and 10mm ends, with the other covering 10mm and 15mm sockets. 8mm, 10mm and 13mm regular ratcheting combination wrenches add just a touch more flexibility to the selection. 

The set also includes a bit driver with its own sockets ranging from 5mm to 11mm and 3/16-inch to 1/2-inch. It also comes with a wide range of bits for the various screws you’ll likely encounter. In all reality, this is the true heart of the kit. Despite the 120XP callout, the majority of the piece count is made up by the bit driver and its attachments. 

Gearwrench has also tosses in some 8-inch Pitbull V-Jaw tongue and groove pliers, a set of 6-inch Pitbull slip joint pliers, and some push-pin removal pliers. A magnetic strip to help hold bits and fasteners is an awesome bonus.

Of course, everything is held neatly into a foam tray. Clearly printed labels declare everything’s rightful home, as do the snug cutouts for each piece. The tray measures 20.125 inches by 13.5 inches. When paired with sister sets, you could make a custom stack that fits perfectly in your drawers and achieve that staple level of organization the MegaMod systems offer. That is after all the modular aspect of this system. This particular piece of your custom setup retails for $169.99. Gearwrench does cover the tools with a full-lifetime warranty, but not the foam.

Getting After It

There’s a lot to talk about with the Gearwrench 82-piece 120XP automotive tool set, despite how small it is. The foam tray is the first thing to come to mind. It’s very well made and has a firm grip on all of the contents, but not so firm that it’s a pain in the neck to work with. It makes for a really nice presentation in your drawer and definitely has high appeal for those who want the most in organization.

That is a really nice characteristic of Gearwrench’s modular line. However, you will need to plan carefully to make the most of it in your setup. This foam tray takes up the majority of the drawer of my NewAge Products garage storage system. If you want to pair this with complementary modular sets from Gearwrench, which you will absolutely should, some extra thought needs to go into where everything will live. In my mind, this kit should go in a large drawer that at least offers enough room for a socket set. 

That brings me to the specific combination of tools you have to work with here. I see what Gearwrench was going for by making a kit that covers common hardware. It’s also really nice that it did include a collection of pliers that helps up its potential. However, the shortcomings became immediately apparent for the first job I used this set for. My wife’s Honda Civic needed an oil change and some front brakes. Even when stacked together, I only need three socket sizes for both jobs, 12mm, 16mm, and 17mm. None of which are in this kit. 

Being a few sockets short of handling this project really illustrates the point that this is just one component of a modular system. While a useful combination of tools, it’s ultimately not meant to function as a complete set. That really puts the value proposition of this system into perspective as well. Unlike the mechanic’s tool sets we’re used to in the DIY space, high-piece count isn’t the hook here. It’s the high organizational factor and quality of the tools you’re spending the money on. 

Speaking of which, the tools are substantially nicer than most at the DIY level. The ratchet and extensions did do most of the real work in this instance, but I have used all of what’s in the set for general plugging around in the shop. They’re all nicely made and perform their designated tasks very well. When you use them in combination with the foam tray, you really do see and feel where the extra money is going.

A Closer Look at The 120XP Ratchet 

Gearwrench named this entire kit after the 120XP ratchet within it. Clearly, we should take a closer look at what’s going on here.

As for the basic details, it’s a 13.5-inch flexing handle ratchet with a 3/8-inch drive. It’s got a nice, slim profile with a sleek, comfortable handle. The head does away with the quick-release mechanism to keep bulk at a minimum. The engravings on the body of the ratchet, especially the “on-off” indicators for the drive directional switch, add to the premium feel. Some versions of this flexing handle ratchet from Gearwrench do feature a locking mechanism to hold the head in different positions. This one does not. All of that being said, what really makes this ratchet special is the mechanism within that gives it a 3-degree swing arc. 

Despite what most initially suspect, the 120XP name isn’t calling out that this is a 120-tooth ratchet. Rather, it features a 120-position mechanism. Gearwrench is achieving this with use of a double-stacked pawl setup on a 60-tooth anvil. On top of using two floating pawls to create more ratcheting positions, deeper teeth that offer more engagement are possible. The result is a really tight swing arc from an incredibly strong system.

I opened the 120XP up alongside my old Gearwrench 90-tooth ratchet to get a better look at the mechanisms for comparison. While that single-pawl setup is good enough in its own right, it is easy to see how much of a step up this 120XP design is. It’s also interesting to note that while the 120XP ratchet’s head is a bit thicker, it’s also more narrow. Another interesting detail is that back drag feels comparable. I also really like that Gearwrench got away from the snap ring to hold the faceplate in place, and is instead using small Torx screws. 

For the most part, this 120XP ratchet is totally overkill. To be honest, I rarely run into a situation where the swing arc on even a 70-tooth ratchet isn’t enough to work with. Still, it’s a great thing to have and not need, especially at no compromise to strength or size. At the very least, this is a very cool piece of modern tool technology the average DIYer can justify spending the money on. 

The Verdict: The Best Start to Your Modular System

At the end of the day, the Gearwrench 82-Piece 120XP automotive tool set is a solid sample of the latest wave of Gearwrench toolsets. No. This particular combination didn’t work for the job I used it for in testing. But, again, it is only meant to function as one component of a larger system. A system that has a lot to offer for folks who want a professional-feeling setup without spending as much as they would on a tool truck.

That said, I do think that this is a pretty good combination of tools to have. You might not be able to rely solely on what’s here for most projects, but you will get plenty of use out of the tools. As you pair it with different sets, the potential of what’s here only grows. Suffice it to say, I think Gearwrench pretty much nailed what it was after, which is giving you a solid starting point for piecing together a modular system.

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