Without looking, that sounds like the typical "focus string" divider that probably includes the focus pot somewhere, to get the right operating voltage for the function, and it possibly does other things too. Carbon composition resistors are often used for this, and they tend to drift upwards over time. Your idea to mount the replacements with more board clearance is sound.
It's also possible that strings of resistors are used for feedback in high voltage regulator circuits, but if so, they would be better grade metal film resistors. Tek hardly ever did this for CRT HV regulation - they used instead a carbon or metal film resistor network on a ceramic substrate. You can usually spot this part easily in the circuit.
Ed
