<PAGE>                  1<PAGE>

             SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION


                   Washington, D.C.  20549


                       ______________


                          FORM 8-K


                       CURRENT REPORT



           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

              Securities Exchange Act of 1934


             Date of Report (Date of earliest
             event reported): April 30, 1997 
                              -------------- 


                Fruehauf Trailer Corporation
  ----------------------------------------------------   
   

 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



    Delaware            1-10772             38-2863240
----------------      -----------         --------------   

(State or other       (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
 jurisdiction of      File Number)       Identification No.)
 incorporation)


111 Monument Circle, Suite 3200, Indianapolis, Indiana  46204
-------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip Code)


Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(317)630-3000
                                                   -------------




             Exhibit Index Appears on Page 4
<PAGE>
<PAGE> 2

Item 5.  Other Events.

        Fruehauf Trailer Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(the "Corportation"), and certain of its subsidiaries filed
a voluntary petition with the United States Bankruptcy Court
for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy Court") under
Chapter 11 of the United State Bankruptcy Code (the "Code"),
Case Number 96-1563 (PJW), on October 7, 1996.  The
Corporation is required to file Monthly Operating Reports
with the Bankruptcy Court and the United States Trustee for
the district of Delaware pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule
2015 and the United States Trustee's Operating Guidelines
and Reporting Requirements for Chapter 11 cases.  In
connection therewith, and as previously disclosed by the
Corporation in its press release dated March 31, 1997 (filed
under Form 8-K on April 14, 1997), attached hereto as
exhibit 99 is the Monthly Operating Report of the
Corporation for the month ending March 1997, filed with the
Bankruptcy Court on April 30, 1997.


Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial
          Information and Exhibits.           
          -----------------------------------------

     ( c ) Exhibits.

     99.1 Monthly Operating Report of the Corporation for
          the month of April 1997.

<PAGE> 3
                      SIGNATURE
                      ---------


          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.


                        FRUEHAUF TRAILER CORPORATION



Date: April 30, 1997      By:/s/James Wong        
                             ------------------  
                             James Wong
                             Corporate Financial Officer
                             (Duly Authorized Officer) 

<PAGE>
<PAGE>   4
                             EXHIBIT INDEX
                             -------------



                                           Pagination by
                                             Sequential
                                             Numbering
Exhibit   Description of Exhibit              System 
-------   ----------------------              -------  


  99.1   Monthly Operating Report                5
         of the Corporation for
         December 1996.
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "description": "FRUEHAUF TRAILER FORM 8-K", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3614}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "FRUEHAUF TRAILER CORP", "cik": "0000874268", "assigned-sic": "3715", "irs-number": "382863240", "state-of-incorporation": "DE", "fiscal-year-end": "1231"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "8-K", "act": "34", "file-number": "001-10772", "film-number": "97590866"}, "business-address": {"street1": "111 MONUMENT CIRCLE", "street2": "SUITE 3200", "city": "INDIANAPOLIS", "state": "IN", "zip": "46244-0913", "phone": "3176303000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "111 MONUMENT CIRCLE", "street2": "SUITE 3200", "city": "INDIANAPOLIS", "state": "IN", "zip": "46244-0913"}}
1
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                   Washington, D.C.  20549

                       ______________

                          FORM 8-K

                       CURRENT REPORT

           Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the

              Securities Exchange Act of 1934

             Date of Report (Date of earliest
             event reported): April 30, 1997 
                              -------------- 

                Fruehauf Trailer Corporation
  ----------------------------------------------------   
   

 (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

    Delaware            1-10772             38-2863240
----------------      -----------         --------------   

(State or other       (Commission         (I.R.S. Employer
 jurisdiction of      File Number)       Identification No.)
 incorporation)

111 Monument Circle, Suite 3200, Indianapolis, Indiana  46204
-------------------------------------------------------------
    (Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip Code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code:(317)630-3000
                                                   -------------

             Exhibit Index Appears on Page 4
2

Item 5.  Other Events.

        Fruehauf Trailer Corporation, a Delaware corporation
(the "Corportation"), and certain of its subsidiaries filed
a voluntary petition with the United States Bankruptcy Court
for the District of Delaware (the "Bankruptcy Court") under
Chapter 11 of the United State Bankruptcy Code (the "Code"),
Case Number 96-1563 (PJW), on October 7, 1996.  The
Corporation is required to file Monthly Operating Reports
with the Bankruptcy Court and the United States Trustee for
the district of Delaware pursuant to Bankruptcy Rule
2015 and the United States Trustee's Operating Guidelines
and Reporting Requirements for Chapter 11 cases.  In
connection therewith, and as previously disclosed by the
Corporation in its press release dated March 31, 1997 (filed
under Form 8-K on April 14, 1997), attached hereto as
exhibit 99 is the Monthly Operating Report of the
Corporation for the month ending March 1997, filed with the
Bankruptcy Court on April 30, 1997.

Item 7.   Financial Statements, Pro Forma Financial
          Information and Exhibits.           
          -----------------------------------------

     ( c ) Exhibits.

     99.1 Monthly Operating Report of the Corporation for
          the month of April 1997.
3
                      SIGNATURE
                      ---------

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused
this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned hereunto duly authorized.

                        FRUEHAUF TRAILER CORPORATION

Date: April 30, 1997      By:/s/James Wong        
                             ------------------  
                             James Wong
                             Corporate Financial Officer
                             (Duly Authorized Officer)
4
                             EXHIBIT INDEX
                             -------------

                                           Pagination by
                                             Sequential
                                             Numbering
Exhibit   Description of Exhibit              System 
-------   ----------------------              -------  

  99.1   Monthly Operating Report                5
         of the Corporation for
         December 1996.