<PAGE>   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):  May 29, 1998
                                ----------------  

              Fruehauf Trailer Corporation
          ----------------------------------
  (Exact name ofregistrant 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)

   1111 Bayside Drive, Suite 160, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625    
   -------------------------------------------------------      
 (Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (714)644-9665
                                                  ---------------


                 Exhibit index appears on page 4

<PAGE> 2

Item 5.  Other Events.
----------------------   
    Fruehauf Trailer Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Corporation"), 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 States 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 April 1998, filed with the Bankruptcy Court on May 29,
1998.


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 1998.
<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:  May 29, 1998           By: /s/ James Wong
       ---------------              ------------------- 
                                     James Wong
                                     Chief Financial Officer
                                     (Duly Authorized Officer)

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

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

99.1            Monthly Operating Report                  5
                of the Corporation for 
                April 1998
[{"type": "8-K", "sequence": "1", "secsgml_size_bytes": 3692}]
{"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": "98640696"}, "business-address": {"street1": "1111 BAYSIDE DR", "street2": "STE 160", "city": "CORONA DEL MAR", "state": "CA", "zip": "92625", "phone": "7146449665"}, "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):  May 29, 1998
                                ----------------  

              Fruehauf Trailer Corporation
          ----------------------------------
  (Exact name ofregistrant 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)

   1111 Bayside Drive, Suite 160, Corona Del Mar, CA 92625    
   -------------------------------------------------------      
 (Address of principal executive offices)       (Zip code)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (714)644-9665
                                                  ---------------

                 Exhibit index appears on page 4
2

Item 5.  Other Events.
----------------------   
    Fruehauf Trailer Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the
"Corporation"), 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 States 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 April 1998, filed with the Bankruptcy Court on May 29,
1998.

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 1998.
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:  May 29, 1998           By: /s/ James Wong
       ---------------              ------------------- 
                                     James Wong
                                     Chief 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 
                April 1998